OUR MANDATE
Sundance Documentary Film Program nurtures courageous, independent artists world wide who surface true stories of human rights, social justice, freedom of expression, and civil liberties and other pressing issues for global audiences.
WHAT WE DO
The Sundance Documentary Program provides a continuum of support through the life of a project, from research to production and post-production, through to distribution and audience engagement. Through year-round support to emerging and established documentary filmmakers, the Documentary Film Program encourages the exploration of innovative nonfiction storytelling driven by artistic vision. In supporting such work, the Documentary Film Program promotes the diverse exchange of ideas by artists and audiences, and reflects Sundance Institute’s celebration of documentary as an increasingly important global art form and a critical cultural practice in the 21st century.
Each year the Documentary Fund makes up to $1.5million in grants twice yearly to support U.S. and international documentary films focused on contemporary issues. Films supported by the Sundance Documentary Program have received widespread distribution to their intended audiences via broadcast and theatrical release, and many have garnered a number of awards and exceptional industry recognition.
HISTORY
As of 2007, the Fund has provided 432 grants to projects from 56 countries. Visit www.sundance.org/documentary for Fund guidelines and formal application.
Among the films supported by the Fund are:
IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS, James Longley
BORN INTO BROTHELS, Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski
FARMINGVILLE, Catherine Tambini and Carlos Sandoval
DAUGHTER FROM DANANG, Gail Dolgin and Vicente Franco
SOUTHERN COMFORT, Kate Davis
CHILDREN UNDERGROUND, Edet Belzberg
LONG NIGHT’S JOURNEY INTO DAY, Frances Reid & Deborah Hoffmann
PROMISES, B. Z. Goldberg and Justine Shapiro
ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER, Kevin MacDonald
PARAGRAPH 175, Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman
SENIORITA EXTRAVIADA, Lourdes Portillo
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
Through variety of programming and collaborative international documentary initiatives the Documentary Film Program supports and catalyzes independent documentary practices, provides professional development opportunities and offers our learning and skills to filmmakers globally.
Panel programming at the Filmmaker Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival.
Since 2000 the Sundance Documentary Program has programmed panels and planned networking opportunities at the Sundance Film Festival venue the Filmmaker Lodge. Panel programming has focused on the art of making and producing documentary films as well as contemporary issues in the global documentary community bringing together diverse artists and thinkers from around the world.In addition to panels the Documentary Film Program organizes informational sessions for filmmakers to meet with film funders, broadcasters, agents, and publicists through a series of informal “Brown Bag” lunch sessions and a round table event held yearly called Meet the Film Funds and Commissioning Editors.
The DFP works throughout the year with film festivals, pitch forums and unique initiatives to help foster a vibrant global documentary community. In the past the DFP has co-presented films and panels with Human Rights Watch Film Festival, Open Society Institute, One World Film Festival, and others.
GRANTEE SUPPORT
Once a project receives a grant they are eligible for a range of support services. Program activities for grantees can include Labs and an international series of work-in-progress screenings that are designed to advance storytelling technique, provide professional development opportunities.
LABORATORIES
Since 2004 the Documentary Program program organizes two week- long workshops at the Sundance Resort in Utah. Held annually in June, the Documentary Edit and Story Laboratory offers an intensive week-long lab experience focusing on story, character development and dramatic structure in nonfiction storytelling. The Lab brings together artists with world class editorial advisors. Past fellows and advisors have included Zana Briski and Ross Kaufman (Born Into Brothels), Laura Poitras (My Country, My Country), Carlos Bolado (Promises) and Ra’anan Alexandrowicz (The Inner Tour).
Every year in August the Documentary Program and Film Music Program bring together documentary filmmakers and emerging film music composers for a five-day intensive exercise based workshop around music in film. Past fellows and advisors include Jessica Yu (In the Realms of the Unreal), Composer Osvaldo Golijov, and directors Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath.
WORK-IN-PROGRESS SCREENINGS
Since 2006, the DFP has curated quarterly screenings around the world to spotlight grantee film in process. The chance to preview work for an audience and offer a window into the creative process can be invaluable for both arists and film lovers. The DFP has platformed filmmakers at prestigious screening venues including Lincoln Center and the Film Forum in New York as well as internationally.
PARTNERSHIPS
Sundance|Skoll Partnership (2008-2010)
Stories of Change: Social Entrepreneurship in Focus Through Documentary
In early 2008 a three-year initiative of the Sundance Documentary Film Program in partnership with the Skoll Foundation, was launched. The aim is to explore the potential of combining the art of storytelling with the impact of social entrepreneurship. The partnership is dedicated to exploring film’s role in advancing knowledge about social entrepreneurship by creating both a new network of professional exchange between filmmakers and social entrepreneurs, and supporting those film projects which result.
