Lisa Ogdie, Assistant to Director of Sundance Film Festival & Coordinator of Public Programming Initiatives

While the programs of the Sundance Institute all had their start in and around Park City, Utah, they also have a life in locations throughout America and the world at large. From screenings and script readings to musical performances and discussions, Sundance Institute Public Programming Events showcase work supported by Sundance Institute and allow audiences to step into the world of Sundance Institute Artist Programs from their very own communities.

The Public Programming Event you’re probably most familiar with is our SundanceUSA program. On the second Thursday of the Sundance Film Festival, filmmakers are dispatched from Park City to cities across the country to screen and discuss their direct-from-Festival films with audiences. But these types of events happen all year long and with programs like Film Forward, we’re able to bring films and filmmakers to locations all over the globe like Africa, China, Turkey and Morocco, just to name a few.

Our Utah Community Screening Series kicked off in June and will be happening all summer in Park City, but it’s not only films from the Sundance Film Festival that are highlighted in our public events. Every year our Feature Film Program holds screenplay readings of works they support in New York and Los Angeles, our Documentary Film Program holds work in progress screenings and panel discussions of their supported projects, our Native & Indigenous Program has workshops and screening events for their supported works, our Film Music Program just held the first CompersLab: LA, a full-day program of presentations and panels for aspiring and seasoned film composers to gain insight into the development of film music and we’ve also started a program called ShortsLab, a day-long workshop empowering the next wave of emerging short filmmakers. ShortsLab has had great success in Chicago and New York and on August 6, 2011, Comedy ShortsLab will be happening in Los Angeles!

We continue to expand our Public Programming Events every year, so, keep your eyes peeled for more new and exiting events that may even include you and your projects!