Indigenous Program

Fellowships

• Merata Mita Fellowship

  Deadline
  The 2021 Merata Mita application is now closed. Please check back in October 2021 for more information.

  Notification Date
  Late November 2020

  Eligibility: Indigenous artists who identify as women and are endeavoring to direct a feature film. One artist will be selected as a Merata Mita Fellow. This fellow will be an emerging filmmaker, seeking to direct a feature film. Recipient will receive a cash grant and a yearlong continuum of support from the Indigenous Program and Sundance Institute. Recipient is required to attend the 2021 Sundance Film Festival [Virtual].

  Application Requirements:

  • If you are submitting a narrative feature, a complete script is required.
  • If you are submitting a documentary feature, a treatment is required.
  • At least one sample work is required.

  There is no application fee - feel free to peruse the application; if you have additional questions, please contact indigenous_program@sundance.org.
  

Labs

The Indigenous Program has built and sustained an indigenous film circle, which now spans over three generations. The cycle of work begins by scouting for and identifying indigenous artists, bringing them through the mechanisms of support at Sundance Institute to get their work made and shown, then bringing the filmmakers and their work back to native lands. The Native Filmmakers Lab has been a vital part of supporting indigenous filmmakers since 2004.

• Native Filmmakers Lab

  Application	The 2020 Native Filmmakers Lab application is closed. Please check back next Spring for more information.
  Dates	Summer 2020
  Grant Pool	Two U.S. based Native American, Native Hawaiian, Alaskan Native project; One Canadian-based Indigenous Canadian (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit)
  Location	TBD
  Eligibility	Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Alaskan Native film artists working in the U.S.; Indigenous Canadian (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) film artists
  Description	The Native Filmmakers Lab provides direct support to emerging U.S.-based Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, Alaskan Natives, and a Canadian-based Indigenous Canadian (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit). The lab will support emerging filmmakers through the process of shooting a short film under the guidance of a supervising producer and mentoring director. Fellowship for Indigenous Canadian film artist made possible with support from the Indigenous Screen Office.