We are thrilled to celebrate Sundance Institute-supported filmmaker Abinash Bikram Shah, whose “Elephants in the Fog” (Nepal), developed through our 2023 Screenwriters and Directors Labs, has world premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Festival de Cannes. Set in a Nepalese village nestled in the heart of a forest inhabited by wild elephants, Pirati, the matriarch of a Kinnar community, dreams of escaping to live with the man she loves. But when one of her daughters goes missing, she must investigate and choose between her desire for freedom and her responsibilities to her community.
About us
Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences. Through its programs, the Institute seeks to discover, support, and inspire independent film and theatre artists from the United States and around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work. All official communications from Sundance Institute, including those related to employment and professional opportunities, will only come from an email address ending in @sundance.org or from our official recruitment platform, ClearCompany Talent Management. Sundance Institute will never request credit card details, ask you to make a purchase with the promise of reimbursement, solicit funds in any form relating to job opportunities, or ask for resumes or other personally identifiable information outside of established and valid communication methods.
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http://www.sundance.org
External link for Sundance Institute
- Industry
- Movies and Sound Recording
- Company size
- 51-200 employees
- Headquarters
- Park City, Utah
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Specialties
- film festival, independent film, documentary film, feature film, short film, native film, diversity, film distribution, episodic storytelling, screenwriting, film directing, film producing, film editing, and film
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1825 Three Kings Ct
Park City, Utah 84060, US
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5900 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, California, US
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321 W 44th St
New York, 10036, US
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Updates
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A sold-out Denver screening of “I Love Boosters” brought Boots Riley to the Sundance Institute community for a conversation on the ideas behind his latest film. Following the screening, Riley joined Senior Programmer John Nein to discuss visual storytelling, science fiction, labor, and how he brought the film to life. “I Love Boosters” opens in theaters this Friday via NEON. Read more about the screening: bit.ly/4dzlmz5
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Sundance Institute reposted this
Independent filmmaking is about carving your own path. Join us for a free session with the award-winning team behind “Ricky,” Rashad Frett & Simon TaufiQue, as they discuss alternative distribution and making an impact. May 26 | 10 a.m. PT Register: sndnc.org/48Y78Gz
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Independent filmmaking is about carving your own path. Join us for a free session with the award-winning team behind “Ricky,” Rashad Frett & Simon TaufiQue, as they discuss alternative distribution and making an impact. May 26 | 10 a.m. PT Register: sndnc.org/48Y78Gz
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Michelle Satter, Founding Senior Director of the Sundance Institute’s Artist Programs, is included on the TIME100 Philanthropy 2026 list for her lifelong impact on independent film, where she reflects that “storytelling is a powerful force for empathy in this world.” That ethos lives in the Sundance Institute Labs, where filmmakers are given space to take risks, experiment, and develop their voice in community. Read more: bit.ly/4nreBUs
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Announcing the 10 fellows selected for the 2026 Sundance Institute Episodic Lab. The Lab will take place at its new home in Dunaway Gardens in Newnan, Georgia, from May 15–20. The Episodic Lab is a five-day immersive experience designed to bring together early-career writers with an original series IP that has not yet been produced, allowing them opportunities to work under the guidance of established showrunners and development executive producers. Learn more about the fellows and their projects: bit.ly/4eRSWTn
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Join our next Sundance Institute Founder Series to discuss Robert Redford’s impact on climate storytelling with Jill Tidman, Paula DuPre’ Pesmen, and Louie Psihoyos. Wednesday, May 13 | Noon–1:00 p.m. PT Learn to weave social impact into your craft. Register for free: bit.ly/3QWCWWg
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Mexico City, thank you! 🇲🇽 Sundance Film Festival: CDMX 2026 came to a close surrounded by an incredible community of artists, audiences, and staff. Together with Cinépolis, we spent four days sharing films, thoughtful conversations, and new perspectives that will stay with us long after the final screening. From packed theaters to powerful panels, every moment reflected the spirit of independent storytelling. Until next time. Photos: Noel Foglia, Jesus Elvira and Daniel Contreras Reyes
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Meet the heart of the Sundance Institute Labs: Michelle Satter. For over four decades, she has quietly shaped independent cinema, guiding artists, championing storytelling, and building the Sundance Institute Labs into a year-round creative home where risk, failure, and discovery are all part of the process. Now honored with the Mel Novikoff Award at the SFFILM, her impact lives on through the filmmakers and stories she’s helped bring into the world. Read more: bit.ly/4dpWZoA
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Last week at the San Francisco International Film Festival, Michelle Satter received the 2026 Mel Novikoff Award. 🏆 Presented by SFFILM and the Mel Novikoff Family Foundation, the award honors champions of film culture and the theatrical experience. Artists, advisors, and alumni gathered for an evening recognizing Satter’s decades of supporting independent filmmakers through Sundance Institute’s Artist Programs. The program featured a conversation with Peter Nicks and a screening of “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” co-written and directed by Benh Zeitlin and co-written by Lucy Alibar. Photos courtesy of SFFILM. Photos by Pamela Gentile.
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