Women at Sundance Institute
Women at
Sundance
At a time when women make up 50.8 percent of the U.S. population, just 4.2 percent of the 100 top-grossing American films are made by female directors; and that statistic hasn’t changed over the last decade. Sundance Institute has offered unprecedented support to women artists, including groundbreaking women like Euzhan Palcy, Barbara Kopple, Allison Anders, and many more at our earliest labs and Festival.
Our dedicated Women at Sundance Institute program began as a partnership with WIF Los Angeles in 2012. Together, we commissioned groundbreaking research with Dr. Stacy Smith and her team at USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative to better understand the key barriers and opportunities for women filmmakers.
Guided by these findings, Women at Sundance Institute supports filmmakers from historically underrepresented communities — through yearlong Fellowships and shorter intensives — to cultivate career sustainability, build community, and strengthen the artist pipeline.
The program has catalyzed the growth of women-dominated networks and established a firm awareness among decision-makers and gatekeepers in the industry about the deficit of women behind the camera in independent film and beyond.
Women at Sundance Institute continues to discover, spotlight, and forge ways for women to succeed as storytellers who shape our cultural landscape.
Artist Support
Women at Sundance Institute offers opportunities for artists to cultivate career sustainability, build community, and enhance their creative and professional practice. Our program provides support through yearlong programs – such as the Momentum, Women at Sundance Institute Adobe, Adelante Directors, and ReFrame Rise Fellowships – as well as the annual two-day WIF x Sundance Institute Financing and Strategy Intensive. Selection for Women at Sundance Institute programs are by invitation only and open to nominated candidates that have already been supported via a prior Institute program.
Women at the Sundance Film Festival
Every year, Women at Sundance Institute celebrates all women artists, industry members, activists, and supporters at the Sundance Film Festival through intimate and large gatherings, panels, and blog posts.
Support
Women at Sundance Institute is made possible by leadership support from The David and Lura Lovell Foundation, The Harnisch Foundation, and Adobe. Additional support is provided by Kimberly Steward, Paul and Katy Drake Bettner, Barbara Bridges, Abigail Disney and Pierre Hauser—Like a River Fund, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Rhianon Jones, Suzanne Lerner, Cristina Ljungberg, Susan Bay Nimoy, Ann Lovell, Zions Bank, Visionary Women, Gruber Family Foundation, Pat Mitchell and Scott Seydel, Brenda Robinson, and an anonymous donor.
