Welcome!

We’re so glad to have you here to celebrate our visionary founder, Robert Redford, who established Sundance Institute in 1981 to develop and support groundbreaking independent artists and storytellers. That work, which redefined independent film, has found audiences across the globe, including at the Sundance Film Festival, our yearly gathering that has launched the careers of countless groundbreaking filmmakers.

Your support tonight 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. Thank you!

Tonight we honor Chloé Zhao, director of Hamnet (2025), with the Trailblazer Award Presented by Google, recognizing an artist’s unwavering dedication and contribution to the field of independent film. Chloé’s debut feature, Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015) went through at the Sundance Institute Directors and Screenwriters Labs in 2012 before premiering at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

The annual Vanguard Awards Presented by Acura will also be given out this evening. They honor emerging artists whose work highlights the art of storytelling and creative independence. This year Nia DaCosta, director of Hedda (2025) will accept the award for Fiction and Geeta Gandbhir, director of The Perfect Neighbor (2025) is being recognized for Nonfiction. 

Ed Harris and Gyula Gazdag will both receive the inaugural 2026 Robert Redford Luminary Award, two artists deeply dedicated to the Sundance Institute Labs and supporting bold storytellers. Harris and Gazdag will be honored for their dedication to Redford’s vision of elevating new voices, championing independent storytelling, and upholding that artistic endeavor for years to come. 

Please enjoy tonight’s program. 

To donate to Sundance Institute, please visit this link. Thank you for your support!