Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute, host of the renowned Sundance Film Festival, announced today that it will host a series of free, public film screenings and artist programs in Michigan June 16-19. The Sundance Film Forward program will host the screenings of acclaimed independent films and discussions with the directors in Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Detroit June 16–19. In addition, targeted Sundance Institute programs for New Frontier and Native artists will be presented at the Allied Media Conference at Wayne State University in Detroit, June 18-19. These events and programs will explore how the convergence of story and technology impact justice, and they are part of the Institute’s recently expanded efforts to connect with independent artists and audiences in regions across the country.
Sundance Film Forward will host free screenings of We Are The Giant with director Greg Barker and The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz with director Brian Knappenberger in Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Detroit, Michigan June 16–19. Post-screening discussions will focus on the theme “Freedom of Information: The Power of Connectivity for Social Change.” For a full schedule of events and venues visit sundance.org/FilmForward. Program Collaborators for these events in Michigan are the University of Michigan Library, Michigan Theater and the Allied Media Conference.
Sundance Film Forward is a touring program designed for 18 to 25 year olds, students and artists that offers film screenings and discussions to excite and cultivate new audiences for independent film. It uses the power of cinema to promote broader cultural understanding, inspire curiosity and enhance awareness of shared stories and values across generations, religions, ethnicities and borders. Sundance Film Forward is an initiative of Sundance Institute and the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The free New Frontier Day Lab for artists interested in new media will host presentations and panel discussions with independent artists and social justice activists who are pushing the boundaries of story and experimenting with the language, forms and tools that will become standards for future storytellers and change makers. The Day Lab will take place at the Allied Media Conference at Wayne State University on June 18. Presenters include Bayeté Ross Smith (Question Bridge: Black Males), Yasmin Elayat (18 Days in Egypt), Jeremy Mendes (Bear71), Sasha Costanza-Chock, Author of Out of the Shadows, Into the Streets! and Researcher at MIT’s Comparative Media Studies Dept, Sarah Wolozin, Director of Open Documentary Lab at MIT, Wes Taylor and Carlos Garcia (Complex Movements), Adrienne Maree Brown (Octavia’s Brood), Dream Hampton (Treasure, I Am Ali) and Evan Bissell (The Knotted Line). The New Frontier Day Lab is presented by Sundance Institute in collaboration with the Allied Media Conference.
Since 2007, Sundance Institute’s New Frontier program has fostered exciting independent artists pushing the boundaries of story at the convergence of all creative disciplines and technology. This program is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
The free New Frontier Native Forum will provide a space for indigenous artists, youth, activists and innovative media makers to have conversations and participate in working sessions around leveraging transmedia storytelling for social and environmental justice. The Native Forum will allow artists to share ideas, talk about works-in-progress ad envision new projects and campaigns. The Forum will take place at the Allied Media Conference at Wayne State University on June 19. Presenters include Bird Runningwater, Director of the Sundance Institute Native and Indigenous Program, Skawennati Fragnito (CyberPowWow, Time Traveler) and Eve-Lauryn LaFountain (Conversation Pieces: A Swan Song, NAWADINIWE). Additionally, presenters from the New Frontier Day Lab will participate in working sessions at the Native Forum. The New Frontier Native Forum is presented by Sundance Institute in collaboration with the Allied Media Conference.
True to founder Robert Redford’s original vision, the Institute maintains a strong commitment to supporting Native and indigenous filmmakers. The Native program has built and sustained a unique support cycle for indigenous artists through grants, labs, mentorships, a fellowship program at the Sundance Film Festival, and screenings for Native communities to inspire new generations of storytellers. This program is supported by Native Arts and Cultures Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute’s signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Sundance Film Forward Federal Partners
The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) bridges the interests of American federal agencies and the private sector, supports special projects that increase participation and excellence in the arts and humanities, and helps incorporate these disciplines into White House objectives. First Lady Michelle Obama is the Honorary Chairman of the PCAH.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. The mission of IMLS is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. The agency’s grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit imls.gov and follow @US_IMLS on Twitter and on Facebook.
The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov, follow us on Twitter @NEAarts or like us on Facebook.
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), an independent federal agency, provides support for documentary films, digital media and other educational programs in the humanities through competitive grant programs. The NEH is the nation’s leading supporter of research, education, preservation and public programs in the humanities. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at neh.gov.
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit KnightFoundation.org.
The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF)
The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF) is a national Native-led nonprofit dedicated to supporting American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian arts and cultures through grant making and cultural programming. With contributions from Native Nations, art patrons and foundation partners, NACF has supported 136 Native artists and organizations in 25 states and the District of Columbia.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal pioneer, Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.
The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. For more information, visit wkkf.org.
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