Category: News

LOS ANGELES, CA – The nonprofit Sundance Institute today announced the appointment of Jennifer Arceneaux to the newly created position of Director, External Relations. In this role, Arceneaux will oversee the Institute’s fundraising, marketing and communications efforts, supervising a staff of 25. Based in Los Angeles, she will begin September 17, reporting directly to Executive Director Keri Putnam and working closely with the Institute’s Leadership and Board of Trustees.

But each festival gives us a chance to watch the watchers—to see how audiences get to watch the movies. And every festival has its own vibe. In Park City, people line up in the cold—sometimes for hours.

Look what we found…

LOS ANGELES, CA – Sundance Institute today announced a series of initiatives designed to support independent producers in feature film and documentary. Activities include  the Creative Producing Labs, Fellowships and the annual Creative Producing Summit all combining to help emerging independent filmmakers navigate the newest trends in the business of creating and distributing independent film.  
Nine projects have been selected to participate in the Sundance Institute Creative Producing Labs and Fellowships (August 16-20).

This month we check in with the Native Program. In May of this year, Bird Runningwater, director of Sundance Institute’s Native and Indigenous Program, gathered a group of four fellows and three advisors in the beautiful lands of the Mescalero-Apache people in New Mexico.Bird explains the lab in this way: “In Apache, we refer to life’s journey as ‘Nda’i bijuuÅ‚ sia,’ which speaks to ‘life’s living circle.

Los Angeles – Six composers have been selected as Fellows to the Sundance Institute Film Composers Lab taking place at the Sundance Resort in Utah from August 11-26, 2010. This year’s Composers Lab Fellows are Sherri Chung, John Hancock, Mark Orton, Arturo Rodriguez, Kareen Roustom, and Rani Sharom. During the two-week Lab, Fellows participate in workshops and creative exercises under the guidance of the industry’s leading film composers and film music professionals.

We gather for the last time here on Manda at the Akili Dance Studio to say goodbye. I ask one question: What will you take away from your time at the Sundance Institute East Africa Theatre Lab? Here are some of the replies:
I am richer as a person and as an artist.It has really touched my heart.

So, George Seremba, Christopher, and I are sitting at breakfast at Baobab House and George suddenly has a look of horror creep into his face. I turn to see what he is seeing, and there is a HUGE  crocodile looking thing nonchalantly crossing our lawn. My heart leaps to my mouth, and I yell for Bernard, our houseman, who comes running.

LOS ANGELES, CA – Sundance Institute and Cinereach announced today the 2010 projects awarded grants for development, production, or post-production as part of a $1.5 million, three-year initiative, The Cinereach Project at Sundance Institute. The initiative is designed to support documentary and narrative feature film projects with themes that evoke global cultural exchange and social impact, and projects representing emerging and innovative voices selected for their distinctive and personal storytelling.

It was almost three months ago that I first stepped into the Sundance Institute offices. At that time, I knew and respected the Institute’s work and had attended the Sundance Film Festival for many years as part of my work for HBO and Miramax. I was keenly aware that the Institute had supported some of the most ground-breaking work and artists in film and theatre of the last 30 years.

Los Angeles, CA–Sundance Institute today announced the Documentary Film Program grant recipients for the Spring 2010 round. Eighteen feature-length documentary films, chosen from 750 filmmakers in 111 countries, will receive a total of $500,000 in support. In addition to financial assistance, all of the filmmakers are eligible for a range of year-round creative support services from Sundance Institute, including Creative Labs, Work-in-Progress screenings, and documentary activity at the Sundance Creative Producing Summit and Sundance Film Festival.

Los Angeles — Seven documentary filmmakers representing four films, and four music composers have been invited as Fellows to the Sundance Film Composer & Documentary Lab taking place at the Sundance Resort in Utah from June 27-July 2, 2010. The Fellows include documentary feature filmmakers currently supported by the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program, and four composers immersing themselves in the art of film music composition. Together they will explore the creative process in sound and story, and the role of film music in nonfiction storytelling.