Category: News

Los Angeles, CA — Two emerging Native storytellers, Erin Lau (Native Hawaiian) and Shaandiin Tome (Diné) will participate in the 2017 Sundance Institute Native Filmmakers Lab, continuing the Institute’s year-round work in the discovery and development of artists from diverse backgrounds.

The Lab takes place May 14-19 in Santa Fe, NM. During the Lab, Fellows work with a cast, crew, and supervising producer to shoot workshop versions of scenes from their short films under the expert creative mentorship of Program alumni and other established industry professionals and Program staff.

2013 Theatre LabCredit: Jonathan Hickerson

2015 Theatre LabCredit: Fred Hayes

2015 Theatre LabCredit: Jonathan Hickerson

Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute today announced a characteristically diverse and eclectic slate of projects that will be developed at their Theatre Lab, July 14-30 at Sundance Resort in Utah. The Lab is the centerpiece of the Institute’s year-round work with the theatre community, and for nearly four decades has creatively supported projects including Indecent, Appropriate, Fun Home and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.
Under the supervision of Artistic Director Philip Himberg and Producing Director Christopher Hibma, Fellows at the Lab enjoy a continuum of support from the theatre community, with dedicated time, space and resources for creative development, rehearsals and constructive guidance and feedback.

Columbus
Photographer Credit: Elisha Christian

Unrest
Photographer Credit: Jason Rothenberg

Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute announced today the films selected for its Creative Distribution Fellowship, a new initiative to support filmmaking teams seeking a more entrepreneurial approach to the release of their work. Chosen to receive support from the Fellowship are two acclaimed works from the 2017 Sundance Film Festival: Columbus, from director and screenwriter Kogonada, and Unrest, a documentary directed by Jennifer Brea.

Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, “Columbus and Unrest are perfect examples of the creative spirit of independent filmmaking, and this new Fellowship will provide them with resources, mentorship and tactical support to pioneer independent pathways to audiences.

With Sundance Institute’s generous invitation, I had the privilege of attending the 2017 Skoll World Forum on social entrepreneurship as a Stories of Change Fellow.Our task was to meet with Skoll Foundation awardees to excavate stories and search for points of connection and to see what possibilities existed between our work as storytellers and the stories embedded in their work. Many of the awarded organizations are sitting on an ocean of stories, a dream for any filmmaker.

(Hong Kong – April 26, 2017) The Metroplex and Sundance Institute will host the 4th edition of the Sundance Film Festival: Hong Kong September 21 to October 1, celebrating Hong Kong audiences’ passion for independent films. In addition, on Friday nights starting May 26, a selection of films showcased in the Midnight section of the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, U.S.

Picturehouse Central, 25 April 2017 — Sundance Institute and Picturehouse announced today the programme of feature films, short films and panel discussions for the 2017 Sundance Film Festival: London, taking place 1-4 June at Picturehouse Central. Festival passes are on sale now, find out more at picturehouses.com/sundance.

Focused Support & Mentorship Program Culminates in Public Performances at Maxim Gorki Theater

يُختتم البرنامج الذي يركز على الدعم والتوجيه بقراءات مفتوحة للجمهور في مسرح ماكسيم غوركي

Berlin and Neuklostersee, Germany Six Europe-based Syrian playwrights will create new work in Arabic
as part of Sundance Institutes Playwrights Residency in Berlin and Neuklostersee, continuing the Theatre Programs
mission-driven tradition of nurturing and amplifying emerging and established playwrights at the cutting edge of
their craft, and furthers their support of work from the Middle East and North Africa.

Table reads for the selected projects will take place May 3-4 at Berlin’s HAU
Studio
; casts will be drawn from the Berlin theatre community. Operations then move to Neuklostersee for six days of workshops and development-focused conversations with an international cohort of mentors and professionals.

Salma Hayek as ‘Beatriz’ / Photographer credit: Lacey Terrell- click to watch the U.S. trailer for Beatriz at Dinner –
Picturehouse Central, 18 April 2017 — Sundance Institute and Picturehouse announced today that the 2017 Sundance Film Festival: London will open with the European premiere of Beatriz at Dinner.

Ingrid Jungermann was nominated for the Independent Spirit Someone to Watch Award for her debut feature, Women Who Kill, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. She recently attended Sundance Institute’s two-day intensive as part of the FilmTwo Initiative, which provides support to a diverse group of independent filmmakers in response to the specific challenges they face in developing and completing their second feature film.
Making your first feature film shouldn’t happen.

Ed. note: This interview was originally published following the premiere of “Wilson” at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
For his third feature film, director Craig Johnson opted to do something he’d never done before — direct a screenplay he didn’t write.

The film industry’s gender paradox remains a perplexing one. Its challenges have been expounded through research, combatted with resources, and at least partially rectified through more films made by women—largely presented at independent film festivals throughout the country. But we continue to overlook the voices of women in film at a rate that perpetuates cinema’s homogeneity, particularly when it comes to the box office.

Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute announced today the appointment of Lynne Diane Gugenheim as Chief Advancement Officer, overseeing all development activities for the Institute’s year-round programs for independent artists.

In her new role as part of the Institute’s Leadership team, Gugenheim will participate in shaping the Institute’s strategy, lead the organization’s work sourcing, structuring and stewarding of contributed revenue from foundations, corporations and individuals, as well as all development events, including its annual benefit. She reports to Executive Director Keri Putnam and will work closely with the Board of Trustees including Chair Pat Mitchell and Jacki Zehner, chair of the Development Committee.