The Latest
Christopher Abbott Melds Arrogance and Empathy in ‘James White’
For all the autobiographical narratives, in-depth profiles, and passion projects at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, James White may have been the most intimate film at Park City. From first scene to last, wherever James White (Christopher Abbott) goes, the camera follows, and closely. Whether he’s wandering through a crowded New York club, getting into a bar fight, bombing at a job interview, navigating his deceased father’s Shiva, or tending to his ailing mother (Cynthia Nixon), we’re right there to read his face, register his desperation or confusion, and ride his emotional rollercoaster.
Calling All Producers: 5 Reasons to Apply to the Creative Producing Lab & Fellowship
We’re thrilled to announce our call for submissions for the 2016 Creative Producing Lab & Fellowship. This marks the beginning of our eighth year of the program, which has supported 47 producers, 41 films (17 completed), and many awards spread among them. Although stats can be helpful markers of success, we want to recognize how our Labs can serve as incubators for the artist eager to learn, grow their career, and be part of a community.
Filmmaker Havana Marking Receives Sundance Institute and TED Award for Documentary on Corruption in Ukrainian Gov’t
Los Angeles, CA — The second Sundance Institute | TED Prize Filmmaker Award, including a $125,000 grant, has been awarded to Havana Marking for her short documentary Bloody Money about corruption in the Ukrainian government — featuring the work of TED Prize winner Charmian Gooch of Global Witness whose TED Wish was to end anonymous shell companies.
Bloody Money, currently in production, is a financial thriller that follows an extraordinary story from Kiev to London to Washington, D.C.
How a Convening in Utah Can Spark Ecological Change 8,000 Miles Away
Three-and-a-half days in the mountains of Utah exploring big ideas with documentary filmmakers and change-makers I deeply respect. What could be better?
I was there as a Storytelling Fellow at the Sundance Institute | Skoll Foundation Stories of Change Convening, a three-day immersive storytelling workshop focused on introducing Skoll Foundation-Awarded Social Entrepreneurs (SASEs) to effective storytelling strategies. This was my introduction to the program, but I soon realized this moment was giving shape and definition to something I have been engaged with since my first film.
6 Sundance Films to Watch for Native American Heritage Month
In 1990, November was officially recognized as National American Indian Heritage Month. The years since have proven to be both a political and artistic resurgence for Native Peoples. From the early support of Greg Sarris’s (Coast Miwok) Grand Avenue at Sundance Institute’s 1992 June Screenwriters Lab to the premiere of Chris Eyre’s (Cheyenne/Arapaho) Smoke Signals in 1998, supporting and celebrating Indigenous creativity has been a longtime mission of Sundance Institute.
Meet the 2015-2016 Women at Sundance Fellows and Their Mentors
Sundance Institute is delighted to introduce our six new Women at Sundance Fellows, a diverse group of filmmakers working as producers and directors in the documentary and narrative fields. Though they are at various stages in their careers, all are actively attempting to fulfill their potential and create sustainable careers in a highly competitive environment.
The Fellowship Program matches women filmmakers from Sundance Institute’s acclaimed programs with industry leaders and decision makers for a yearlong, individualized fellowship program.
Sundance Institute And Jaunt Studios Launch Sundance Institute New Frontier | Jaunt Vr Residency
Los Angeles, CA – Sundance Institute and Jaunt Studios announced today their collaboration to launch a groundbreaking cinematic virtual reality residency program designed to empower artists on the cutting edge of storytelling. The first artist selected to participate in the six-month Sundance Institute New Frontier | Jaunt VR Residency Program is Lynette Wallworth, and three additional artists will be selected to participate in the coming months. Through this collaboration, Sundance Institute’s New Frontier program will continue a long tradition of cultivating new voices and innovative stories from the independent storytelling community, with Jaunt providing resident artists with the most advanced resources in cinematic virtual reality production.
An Indie Distro Journey, Part I: ‘Western’ Comes to iTunes
It’s the beginning of a very fitting final chapter for the Western team. Our movie was as independent as it gets, made by two guys in a desert at the edge of the country, and it’s about to be made available to the entire country in exactly as grassroots a way as it was created. You can preorder Western on iTunes here.
Sundance Institute Selects Four NextGen Native American Filmmakers for 2016 Full Circle Fellowships
Four 18-to-24-year-old Native Artists will Attend 2016 Sundance Film Festival, Develop Storytelling Skills and New Film Projects Throughout the Year
Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute announced today the four 18-to-24-year-old Native American filmmakers — three from the Southwest and one from Michigan — selected for the 2016 Full Circle Fellowships. Following Sundance Institute President and Founder Robert Redford’s original vision and commitment to supporting Native American artists, the Full Circle Fellowship program develops and supports young Native filmmakers and is part of the Institute’s year-round support offerings for Native artists at all stages of their careers.
The Full Circle Fellowship Program, launched last year with support from the W.
Person to Know: Vimeo’s Peter Gerard Is Helping Filmmakers Find Their Audience
Last week, Sundance Institute’s Artist Services program joined with Festival Internacional de Cine en Morelia to host an international workshop designed to give emerging independent filmmakers and producers a chance to interact and learn from industry experts in creative funding, digital distribution and marketing of their work. As part of the day’s slate, Vimeo Director of VOD Peter Gerard was on hand to share insights from his world in a presentation on marketing direct to fans with Vimeo in order to drive an audience to discover an artist’s work.Gerard, who previously founded Accidental Media and the distribution platform Distrify, joined Vimeo in 2014 and is helping filmmakers find their audience in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
Sundance Selections: 6 Real Life Horror Stories for Halloween
You know that feeling of deliverance that arrives as the credits roll to a gripping horror film? It summons you out of the story, offering salvation from the dread. Yeah, you can forget about that relief when it comes to these films. Frankly, it’s hard to find refuge in reality when the stories themselves are real.
Tips for Finding the Story in Your Next Documentary Film
Sundance Institute’s first-ever workshop at IFP-Minnesota in St. Paul drew more than 40 emerging and experienced documentarians to a daylong series of instructional sessions last weekend.
As participants, some pitching projects, were treated to presentations on nonfiction storytelling structure and how to make regional stories relevant to larger audiences, running themes included the importance of preparedness and the need, according to Twin Cities native Annie Sundberg, to “keep your key audience in mind” at every stage of production.
Insider Ticketing Tips and FAQs for the Sundance Film Festival
As we prepare for yet another Sundance Film Festival, we thought we’d take some time to update you on everything you need to know about our ticketing system. Thank you for your continued interest in seeing world-class
independent films, panels, music, and New Frontier installations at the
2021 Festival. We look forward to seeing you in January!Through small (but important!) modifications to our system and extensive testing, we’re confident you’ll have a seamless experience this year.
Where Stand-Up Meets Story: Hasan Minhaj On the Future of Comedy and ‘Homecoming King’
This interview was originally published following Hasan Minhaj’s fellowship at the 2014 New Frontier Story Lab with “Homecoming King” (FKA “Sakoon). It is updated below to coincide with the premiere of “Homecoming King” at New York’s Cherry Lane Theatre. Comedian Hasan Minhaj has an infectious X-factor.
Carin Besser on Writing for TV: “You’re Going to Say the Dumb Things Out Loud”
In my short career as a co-writer of pilot scripts, I have struggled to explain the importance of “not-writing” to the writing process. Especially to my writing partner and husband, Matt Berninger. He is somehow always writing when he writes, by which I mean (and he does too), typing out scenes.