Directors Lab Fellow Ioana Uricaru and editor Debbie Berman. Photo by Ryan Johnson.

Sundance Institute

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.
 
Sundance Institute is honored to announce this year’s recipient, Debbie Berman, who attended the June Directors Lab as an editor supporting the creative process of two of the eight emerging directors attending the Lab. Berman’s Fellowship will continue under the guidance of accomplished editors, including Joe Hutshing, Dylan Tichenor, and Jeffrey Ford, with a year-long mentorship focusing on the creative and strategic aspects of an editing career.
 
Debbie Berman is originally from South Africa, worked in the film industry in Canada for several years, and now resides in Los Angeles. She has edited on a diverse range of award-winning projects from music videos to feature films. Some of her more notable endeavors include working as the VFX editor for Clint Eastwood’s Invictus, and as the editor on the Barry Sonnenfeld produced animated feature Space Chimps. Debbie’s most recent works include cutting Disney’s first live action Arabic film The United, as well as working on the new Mickey Rourke feature Black November. Debbie is represented by The Mirisch Agency.