Monday July 9, 2012
First Day In Bogota
I arrived last night in Colombia to start the FILM FORWARD program.  It’s kind of funny being on a trip with a bit of a diplomatic feel to it in a country that I have never called home, but feels like my homeland.  My mother is Colombian and since the age of two I have been here often (in particular to her hometown of Cartagena) to spend time with family.

In 2010, the Sally Menke Memorial Editing Fellowship was created at the Sundance Institute by the late film editor’s husband, Dean Parisot, and children to honor her memory and passion for mentorship. Menke was an award-winning editor (Reservoir Dogs, Inglorious Basterds, Pulp Fiction) and long-time Creative Advisor who served as a consummate guide to countless Institute Lab Fellows. With the generous support of her large community of friends and colleagues, the Fellowship is now in its second year.

Michael Mohan is an independent filmmaker and the director of three Sundance Film Festival selections, including “One Too Many Mornings,” “Ex-Sex,” and the SFF ‘12 Competition film “Save the Date.” Below is an account of his experiences at last weekend’s Comic-Con event in San Diego.On Friday evening at 9:30 p.

Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute today announced that 10 additional titles have been added to a variety of online digital platforms and storefronts through its Artist Services access to distribution program, which launched in February 2012. The films that are immediately available to rent, download and stream include Brother to Brother (starring Anthony Mackie), Children Underground (nominated for an Academy Award), Enemies of the People (current News and Documentary Emmy Award nominee) and Dirty Work (executive produced by Edward Norton). Also, Indie Game: The Movie, which debuted at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and was previously available only on iTunes, is now on additional platforms.

Arriving in Bogotá late on a Sunday night is perfect timing for easing into Colombia’s largest city, population size around 8 million. The metropolis enjoys a day of rest before Monday morning’s traffic onslaught. Space on roads is at a premium and drivers must alternate days when they drive as designated by license plate numbers.

Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute today announced the participants for its annual Creative Producing Labs and Creative Producing Summit, both held in the same week at the Sundance Resort in Sundance, Utah.
Eleven projects have been selected to participate in the Labs (July 30 – August 3) and receive ongoing creative and strategic support throughout the year, as well as direct granting for further development and production. The Fellows represent five projects from the Feature Film Program and six from the Documentary Film Program and Fund.

The Documentary Film Program’s (DFP) Spring 2014 grants totaled $975,000 awarded to 44 films, including four films from the Documentary Film Initiative in Asia. This total marks an increase from the Fall 2013 funding that totaled $711,500 in grants and awards across all stages of production.
The larger number of projects selected for support by Sundance Institute reflects a funding philosophy designed to embrace both existing and emerging mandates.

Sundance Institute is thrilled to congratulate its alumni on their recent nominations for the News & Documentary Emmy Awards. Twelve Sundance-supported films received a total of fifteen nominations for the 33rd Annual News & Doc Emmy Awards, which honor the best news reports and documentary films that have aired on television or streamed online each year. Award winners will be announced October 1, 2012, during a ceremony at the Lincoln Center in New York City.

Clay Jeter and Charles Spano recently attended the Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab in the mountains near Park City, Utah, with their project IO, a screenplay about a teenage girl surviving as one of the last humans on an abandoned planet Earth. Below is Part 2 in a blog series chronicling their experiences. Click here for Part 1 of their blog.

Just finished two days of screenings in Bogotá. Despite some technical difficulties with the projections, they were really successful. We met with a group of indigenous filmmakers yesterday.

Clay Jeter and Charles Spano recently attended the Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab in the mountains near Park City, Utah, with their project IO, a screenplay about a teenage girl surviving as one of the last humans on an abandoned planet Earth. Below is Part 1 in a two-part series chronicling their experiences. Click here for Part 2.

Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute today announced the selection of six composers to participate in the 2012 Feature Film Composers Lab, July 25 through August 8 at the Sundance Resort in Sundance, Utah. The Lab is produced by the Sundance Institute Film Music Program, in conjunction with the Feature Film Program.
During the Lab, Fellows participate in workshops and creative exercises under the guidance of leading film composers and film music professionals.

I’ve always wanted to go to Morocco. When my best friend and I were planning our dream trip that we were going to do between high school and college, Morocco was on our list. Sadly, the trip never happened.

New York, NY — Sundance Institute today announced the acting company and creative advisors for the eight projects being developed at its 2012 Theatre Lab, July 9-29 at the Sundance Resort. Under the supervision of Philip Himberg, Producing Artistic Director, and Associate Director Christopher Hibma, the Lab is the centerpiece of the Theatre Program’s year-round work and is designed to support emerging and established artists and to create a place where their original work can be effectively mentored and challenged.
“The Theatre Lab allows each playwright to explore and follow his or her vision – wherever it takes them,” said Himberg.

Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute today announced 27 feature-length documentary films that will receive $490,000 in grants from its Documentary Film Program and Fund (DFP).
Cara Mertes, Director of the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program and Fund said, “The grants announced today represent an incredible array of storytelling. Many of these films examine people, events and movements that tell a story of transformative change.