The Sundance Institute ismourning the death of Lynn Auerbach, the well-liked associate director of itsfeature film programme, who died suddenly at the end of January. The Institute hasissued the following statement.

"It is with deep sadnessthat we at Sundance grieve the loss of our colleague Lynn Auerbach. Overfifteen years, Lynn was Associate Director of the Sundance Institute's FeatureFilm Programme.

"She was intimately involvedin all aspects of the program from identifying and championing new indie voicesto working closely with selected filmmakers to plan their experience at theScreenwriters and Filmmakers Labs. She also worked with lab filmmakersyear-round to help them find the resources needed to move forward whichincluded producing the LA-based Screenplay Reading Series of Works in Progress.Filmmakers supported through the program have included Chris Eyre, MiguelArteta, Sherman Alexie, Tamara Jenkins, Rodrigo Garcia, Gina Prince-Bythewood,Darren Aronofsky, Peter Sollett, and John Cameron Mitchell among many manyothers.

"Michelle Satter, Directorof the Feature Film Program, stated: "Lynn had an extraordinary ability tocreate a safe place for emerging filmmakers to do the hard work of goinginward, to ask the hard questions about themselves and their work. She wassmart, fun, inspired, passionate, deeply committed, and always wise. But, mostimportantly, her humanity, love of storytelling, and extraordinary efforts tofind the most unique voices, is a legacy and guiding force for the SundanceInstitute".

"Prior to working atSundance, Lynn worked in the advertising and film industries including work forHBO and Embassy Films. Lynn is survived by her mother, Joyce DeLuca, herstepfather, Charles DeLuca, sister, Laura Flint, nephew Andrew Flint, and nieceSydney Flint."