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Channing Godfrey Peoples on a Bittersweet ‘Miss Juneteenth’ Release and the Urgency of Portraying Black Humanity on Screen
After premiering at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, Channing Godfrey Peoples’s debut feature is hitting digital platforms this Juneteenth—the day for which the film is named and which is very close to the director’s heart. “I feel like I’ve been living Miss Juneteenth my whole life,” she says.
The June 19 holiday—which commemorates the day slavery was finally abolished in Texas (more than two years after the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation was issued)—is celebrated in her hometown of Fort Worth with a deep sense of reverence and community, with barbecues, a parade, and a scholarship pageant for young Black women.

The Fight for Trans Rights Is Highlighted in “Heightened Scrutiny”
Sam Feder at “Heightened Scrutiny” premiere (photo by Robin Marshall / Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival) By Bailey Pennick Editor’s note: Since the publishing of

Kasi Lemmons on the Enduring Originality of the Sundance Institute Labs
Kasi Lemmons with fellow Daniel Kaluuya at Sundance Institute’s 2016 January Screenwriters Lab. Photo by Brandon Cruz for Sundance Institute By Lucy Spicer Writer-director, actor,

The Intersex Protagonist in “Ponyboi” Is a Revelation
PARK CITY, UTAH – JANUARY 20: River Gallo attends the 2024 Sundance Film Festival “Ponyboi” premiere at the Library Center Theatre on January 20, 2024,

2025 Sundance Film Festival: Local Lens
Top L–R: The Dating Game, All That’s Left of You (اللي باقي منك) Center L–R: Come See Me in the Good Light, Omaha, Rebuilding Bottom

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Carmen Emmi, the Writer-Director of “Plainclothes”
By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent

An Update to the Nonfiction Core Application 3.1: Adding Optional GenAI Questions and Field Resources
By Hajnal Molnar-Szakacs Dear Documentary Community This past March, in partnership with the International Documentary Association (IDA), we announced the launch of the Nonfiction Core

“Prime Minister”: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Leader Who Champions Kindness
(L–R) Lindsay Utz, Michelle Walshe, and The Right Honourable Dame Jacinda Ardern attend the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of “Prime Minister” at Eccles Theatre

Directors Lab at 45: Nia DaCosta Reminisces Over the Affirming Moment That Brought Her to Tears During the 2015 Lab
Director Nia DaCosta and Tessa Thompson at the 2015 Directors Lab. (Photo by Brandon Cruz) By Jessica Herndon As the Sundance Institute Directors Lab turns 45, we’re

“Love & Basketball,” “Buffalo 66,” and the Movies That Taught Me to Want More out of Relationships
By Jessica Herndon When it comes to romance, I’m as hopeless as they come. I’ve always craved unconditional adoration despite my mess. Someone who locks

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Cristina Costantini, the Director of “SALLY”
By Lucy Spicer One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Mathias Broe, the Director Behind “Sauna”
By Jessica Herndon One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent

Creative Accomplices: Alex Ross Perry and Jason Schwartzman
By Bailey Pennick Alex Ross Perry is in the middle of a thought. It’s not following just one strand, though. It’s a textured and tangent-filled

“SALLY” Expands the Portrait of an American Icon
(L–R) Cristina Costantini, Tam O’Shaughnessy, Bear Ride, and Lauren Cioffi attend the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of “SALLY” at The Ray Theatre on January

Film Festival Watch: See These 16 Sundance Institute–Supported Films at Tribeca 2025
By Jessica Herndon The Tribeca Festival is back, bringing a whirlwind of world premieres and bold screenings shaping today’s cinematic landscape. Running from June 4–15,