Category: News

Year-Long Fellowship For Underrepresented Filmmakers Enters Second Year, Supporting Eight Visionary Artists
New Launch Grant Fund Empowers Underrepresented Artists to Break Systemic Barriers in Launching First Feature Film
Los Angeles — Sundance Institute announced today two support tracks for artists from underrepresented communities, continuing the Institute’s commitment to fostering inclusive artistic visions. Announced today are the eight members of the second class of the Momentum Fellowship, a full-year program of deep, customized creative and professional support for writers, directors, and producers from underrepresented communities who are poised to take the next step in their careers, working across documentary and feature filmmaking, and episodic content. Sundance Institute also announced the four awardees of the inaugural Launch Grant Fund, a new opportunity for emerging filmmakers from underrepresented communities launching their first feature film.

As we continue to celebrate and recognize the amazingly rich and diverse contributions to art and culture from Latinx artists, Institute staff and alumni sat down and put together a list of some of our favorite films by Latinx filmmakers.
Films that speak about the complexity of localized social dynamics, documentaries that take us deep into the inner chambers of a president in turmoil, adapted screenplays of celebrated literature—these are only a few of our favorites that we hope you discover or revisit soon. They are eternally influential and inspirational pieces of work.

The Producers Confidential is a public program hosted by Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program, and it spotlights the artistry and creative spirit embedded in nonfiction filmmaking from the perspective of the producer. Mariales Diaz was in attendance at this year’s confidential. They are a director, producer, NeXt Doc fellow, and Jacob Burns Creative Culture fellow.

Sundance Institute and the Latino Theater Company brought together local Latinx creators at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in early September for a panel discussion, followed by a Playwriting Intensive for LA-based emerging playwrights of color hosted by Center Theatre Group.
At the panel discussion, four artists shared their personal journeys, offered guidance for navigating a career as a writer, and called for change within the industry. East LA native playwright and screenwriter Evelina Fernández (A Mexican Trilogy, East Los High) told the audience that the reason she continues to tell stories about the U.

The Sundance Institute Merata Mita Fellowship for Indigenous Artists pays tribute to the immense artistic contributions of Merata Mita (Ngāti Pikiao/Ngāi Te Rangi), who served as an artistic director to our Native Filmmakers Lab and was the first Indigenous woman—and the only Māori woman—to write and direct a dramatic feature film. The fellowship serves to continue Merata’s legacy and cultivate a stage for other Indigenous women around the world to tell their stories. Applications for the 2020 fellowship are open from October 8 to October 28—for more information, visit the application page.

Sixth Year of Program Yields over 2,400 Submissions; 14 Fellows, 9 New Television Pilots Selected for Lab and Customized Year-Round Support

Los Angeles, CA — Nine original independent pilots and their 14 creators, will benefit from holistic support and development at Sundance Institute’s sixth annual Episodic Lab, taking place at Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah October 10-15, 2019. With topics that span genres — from provocative reimaginings of the American dream to visionary and epic supernatural dramas– the scope of this year’s projects, along with the diverse backgrounds of their creators, speaks to the Institute’s broad and visionary support of the episodic format as the industry develops and grows; the Episodic Lab is the centerpiece of the Institute’s year-round support program for emerging television writers.
Beginning with the Lab, Fellows will benefit from a full year of customized, ongoing support from Feature Film Program staff, Creative Advisors and Industry Mentors, led by Founding Director of the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program, Michelle Satter and Director of the Episodic Program, Jennifer Goyne Blake.

David Borenstein is a documentary filmmaker who produced a podcast series as part of last year’s BBC World Service/Sundance Institute Nonfiction Audio Collaboration—a program in which BBC World Service funds the production of up to six documentary radio and podcast series. Applications for this year are open until November 13, 2019. For more information, visit the application page.

In celebration and observance of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re working on a number of short essays, anecdotes, and free-form editorials that speak to the unique experiences, often untold, that artists and creatives of Latinx descent have gone through. We hope that these pieces offer you a new insight into the world that most people whose ethnic and cultural heritage is nuanced and complex live in. Our second piece comes from director Barbara Cigarroa, a Mexican American filmmaker from South Texas.

September 30 is National Podcast Day—and we’re celebrating with all-new episodes of ShortsCast, our audio series spotlighting short films that have stayed with us long after playing at the Sundance Film Festival. Senior Programmer Mike Plante caught up with the teams behind a few such films, many of which are playing in cities around the U.S.

In celebration and observance of National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15–October 15), we’re publishing a number of short essays, anecdotes, and free-form editorials that speak to the unique experiences, often untold, that artists and creatives of Latinx descent have gone through. We hope that these pieces offer you a new insight into the world that most people whose ethnic and cultural heritage is nuanced and complex live in.Our first piece comes from Arturo Perez Jr.

Toronto — A new collaboration between Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program and Art House Convergence (AHC), a North American coalition of community-based, mission-driven movie theaters, was announced last night by Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program Director N. Bird Runningwater (Cheyenne/Mescalero Apache) at the Toronto International Film Festival. The collaboration will bring six Indigenous short films from Sundance Institute Fellows to select AHC theaters in North America during November’s annual celebration of National Native American and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

Creative Exchange, Unstructured Work Time for International Stage & Film Directors
Los Angeles, CA — Six directors have convened in Arles, France for the sixth annual Sundance Institute | Luma Foundation Directors Retreat in Arles, France, from August 1-12, 2019. Founded in 2013 as a creative collaboration between Sundance Institute’s Theatre Program and Luma Foundation, the Retreat is an opportunity for directors to meet, share best and emerging practices, and work self-directed on their upcoming projects.
“At this Retreat, we ask only for a spirit of inquiry from our participants,” said Christopher Hibma, Director of the Institute’s Theatre Program.