Celebrate Sundance Institute: A Festival Gala
Event Details
This year, be part of a special evening honoring Sundance Institute’s Founder Robert Redford — his legacy, vision, and enduring mission to support independent storytellers. We’ll come together for food, music, and to honor his impact with special moments. We invite you, along with the many influential artists embodying his enduring vision, to raise a glass and connect with fellow members of the Sundance Institute community about how we carry on Redford’s mission for the next generation.
From its start in the mountains of Utah and for over four decades, Sundance Institute — a nonprofit Mr. Redford founded in 1981 to develop and support groundbreaking independent artists and storytellers — has shaped independent film and shifted culture by introducing fresh perspectives and voices. That work has found audiences across the globe, including at the preeminent Sundance Film Festival, which has launched the careers of countless groundbreaking filmmakers.
This is more than an event — it’s a once-in-a-lifetime gathering to celebrate the visionary founder who established Sundance Institute and redefined independent film.
Your support will directly contribute to Sundance Institute’s vital year-round work, providing grants, mentorships, and critical resources that enable artists across the globe to bring their stories to life.
We hope to see you at Celebrating Sundance Institute: A Tribute to Founder Robert Redford at Grand Hyatt Deer Valley in Park City, Utah, starting at 6:30 p.m. MT.
Join us!
If you’re unable to join us, please consider making a general contribution to Sundance Institute, which directly supports independent artists through resources such as labs, grants, and fellowships. Reach out to benefitevent@sundance.org with any questions.
Honorees
We’re thrilled to announce our 2026 lineup of esteemed honorees for Celebrating Sundance Institute: A Tribute to Founder Robert Redford.
Sundance Institute Trailblazer Award Presented by Google: Chloé Zhao
Chloé Zhao
Photo Credit: Christian Tierney
Recognizing an artist’s unwavering dedication and notable contributions to the field of independent film, the Sundance Institute Trailblazer Award presented by Google will be presented to Academy Award–winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao. Previous honorees include Christopher Nolan and James Mangold.
Chloé Zhao is a Beijing-born writer, director, editor, and producer. Her debut feature, Songs My Brother Taught Me (2015), was supported by the 2012 Sundance Institute Directors and Screenwriters Lab and later premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Zhao’s other films include The Rider (2017), Eternals (2021), and Nomadland (2020), which won three Oscars. Most recently, she directed, co-wrote, and co-edited Focus Features’ Hamnet (2025), from the best-selling novel of the same name. Led by her masterful creative vision and collaborative storytelling, the film has earned nine audience awards, as well as Golden Globe and Critics Choice Association nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. She launched the production company Book of Shadows in 2023 and Kodansha Studios in 2025
Sundance Institute Vanguard Award Fiction Presented by Acura: Nia DaCosta
Nia DaCosta
Photo Credit: Meg Young
Sundance Institute Vanguard Award Nonfiction Presented by Acura: Geeta Gandbir
Geeta Gandbhir
The annual Sundance Institute Vanguard Awards presented by Acura honor emerging artists whose work highlights the art of storytelling and creative independence in both fiction and nonfiction. The Vanguard Award for Fiction will be presented to Nia DaCosta, director of Hedda (2025), and the Vanguard Award for Nonfiction will go to Geeta Gandbhir, director of The Perfect Neighbor (2025). Previous honorees include Sean Wang, Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, Celine Song, Maite Alberdi, Ryan Coogler, W. Kamau Bell, Nikyatu Jusu, Siân Heder, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Radha Blank, Lulu Wang, Boots Riley, Dee Rees, Marielle Heller, Damien Chazelle, Benh Zeitlin, and many more.
Nia DaCosta wrote, directed, and produced Hedda, which was released this fall. Previously, DaCosta directed and co-wrote The Marvels (2023), Candyman (2021), and Little Woods (2018), her debut feature supported by the 2015 Sundance Institute Directors and Screenwriters Labs. Her next film, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, will be released in theaters on January 16, 2026.
Director Geeta Gandbhir is an Emmy, Film Independent Spirit, and Peabody Award–winning filmmaker. Her documentary The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix) premiered in the U.S. Documentary Competition category at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and won the juried Directing Award: U.S. Documentary. As a director, her other recent credits include Katrina: Come Hell and High Water (2025), Eyes on the Prize (2025), The Devil is Busy (2024), How We Get Free (2023), Born in Synanon (2023), and Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power (2022).
Robert Redford Luminary Award: Ed Harris and Gyula Gazdag
This year, the inaugural Robert Redford Luminary Award will be presented to Ed Harris and Gyula Gazdag, two artists deeply dedicated to the Sundance Institute Labs and committed to supporting bold storytellers.
The Robert Redford Luminary Award recognizes and celebrates individuals who have, in an insightful way, used their resources, knowledge, and reach to create possibility where there wasn’t, thus doing their part to make the world a better place. Harris and Gazdag will be acknowledged for their decades-long contributions as creative advisors for the Sundance Institute Directors Lab, where they offer guidance to artists as they develop and refine their projects and skills as writers and directors in a nurturing, immersive environment. They will be honored for their dedication to Robert Redford’s vision of elevating new voices, championing independent storytelling, and upholding that artistic endeavor for years to come.
Additional special guest participants include Amy Redford, Ava DuVernay, Ethan Hawke, David Lowery, Tessa Thompson, and more.
Tickets
Please note: other package tiers will be available for purchase beginning Wednesday, Nov 19 at 10:00MT.
Golden Reel: $50,000 (SOLD OUT)
($47,600 is a charitable contribution)
- One table for 10 guests with preferred placement for dinner and program
- Prominent logo or line listing recognition across all tribute event materials
Silver Screen: $25,000 (SOLD OUT)
($23,200 is a charitable contribution)
- One table for 10 guests for dinner and program
- Logo or line listing recognition across all tribute event materials
Luminous Lens: $10,000
($8,800 is a charitable contribution)
- Reserved seating for four guests for dinner and program
available to purchase starting November 19
Patron Partner Package: $5,000
($4,400 is a charitable contribution)
DETAILS
- Reserved seating for two guests for dinner and program
- Underwriting attendance for one emerging artist or featured honoree
available to purchase starting November 19
Individual Celebration Ticket: $2,000
($1,700 is a charitable contribution)
DETAILS
- Reserved seating for one guest for dinner and program
available to purchase starting November 19
Thank you for your interest in attending Celebrating Sundance Institute: A Tribute to Founder Robert Redford.
Due to an outpouring of support, all tables and tickets have been officially SOLD OUT.
If you would like to be placed on our waitlist in case of cancellations, please email benefitevent@sundance.org with the number of tickets you are interested in reserving.
Thank you!
If you are unable to attend the event, please consider making a general contribution to Sundance Institute, which directly supports independent artists through resources such as labs, grants, and fellowships. Please reach out to benefitevent@sundance.org with any questions.
Presenting Sponsor
Vanguard Awards Presented By
Trailblazer Award Presented By
Event Chairs:
TBD
Artist Tribute Committee:
Dina Amer
Allison Anders
Gregg Araki
Darren Aronofsky
Miguel Arteta
Ritesh Batra
Anna Boden
Patricia Cardoso
Damien Chazelle
Laure de Clermont Tonnere
Ryan Coogler
Jonathan Dayton
Chris Eyre
Rick Famuyiwa
Valerie Faris
Sally Field
Ralph Fiennes
Ryan Fleck
Rodrigo Garcia
David Gordon Green
Reinaldo Marcus Green
Sian Heder
Marielle Heller
Eliza Hittman
Tamara Jenkins
Rian Johnson
Barbara Kopple
Daniel Kwan
David Lowery
James Mangold
Joshua Marston
John Cameron Mitchell
Jessie Nelson
Euzhan Palcy
Kimberly Peirce
Gina Prince-Bythewood
Dee Rees
Boots Riley
Ira Sachs
Walter Salles
Daniel Scheinert
Steven Soderbergh
Peter Sollett
Celine Song
Stanley Tucci
Eva Vives
Lulu Wang
Sean Wang
Charlotte Wells
Nia DaCosta
Photo Credit: Meg Young
Golden Reel Tickets
Acton Family Giving
All That’s Left of You
Ebs Burnough and Pierre Lagrange
Nina and David Fialkow
Luisa and Chris Law
Stephen and Sharmaine Hillard
Jeanne Donovan Fisher
Melony and Adam Lewis
Madison Wells
Stanley Hotel
Susan and Jim Swartz
Official Providers
The Dufour Collaborative
Grand Hyatt Deer Valley
About Your Contribution
Your ticket purchase to the Festival’s Celebrating Sundance Institute: A Tribute to Founder Robert Redford is a contribution to Sundance Institute and directly supports independent artists through resources such as labs, grants, and fellowships. Dedicated to the nurturing and development of independent storytellers, the Institute seeks to discover, support, and inspire independent film and media artists from the United States and around the world. Through all of its activities, the Institute fosters originality, authenticity, and diversity in storytelling.
Your contribution to Sundance Institute is tax-deductible, subtracting the value of any benefits (goods or services) you receive. Consult your tax advisor for details.
Contact Information
For questions about ticket packages or making a general contribution, connect with us at benefitevent@sundance.org.
Accessibility and Community Agreement
Sundance Institute is committed to ensuring our events are as accessible as possible for everyone who attends. If any accommodation would support your full participation in this event, please contact accessibility@sundance.org to describe your specific request. Every effort will be made to accommodate advance requests; requests made within seven days of the event may not be guaranteed.
In alignment with our Community Agreement, we ask you to be intentional with your words (hateful speech or actions will not be tolerated) and be respectful of moderators, artists, and other attendees. See our full Community Agreement to read more or to learn how to report violations. We sincerely thank you for helping us create an inclusive, welcoming environment for all.