Sundance Institute has announced the 2024 Directors, Screenwriters, and Native Labs fellows.
The Native Lab takes place in person in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from April 29–May 4 and will support four fellows and two artists in residence. The Lab focuses on centring Indigeneity in the storytelling of participants from Native and Indigenous backgrounds and will work on feature film and episodic scripts through one-on-one feedback sections and roundtable discussions with advisors.
The fellows are: Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan (writer-director) with Hum (Phil-USA); Ryland Walker Knight (writer-director) with The Lip Of The World (USA); Charine Pilar Gonzales (writer-director) with NDN Time (USA); and Lindsay McIntyre (writer-director) with The Words We Can’t Speak (Can).
Artists in residence Fox Maxy (Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians and Payómkawish) and Shea Vassar (Cherokee) are attending, and this year’s Native Lab creative advisors are Patrick Brice, Tai Leclaire (Mohawk and Mi’kmaq), Kishori Rajan, and Jon Raymond.
The in-person Directors Lab in Colorado running May 7–22 at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park will support the development of eight projects with nine fellows, and an additional three joining for the online Screenwriters Lab held right after.
The fellows are: Keisha Rae Witherspoon (co-writer, director) and Jason Fitzroy Jeffers (co-writer) with Arc (USA); Jane Casey Modderno (writer-director) with Here For The Weekend (USA); Sylvia Khoury (writer-director) with I’m Heather (USA); Kristine Gerolaga (writer-director) with Lamok (Phil-USA); Diana Peralta (writer-director) with No Love Lost (USA); Hanna Gray Organschi (writer-director) with Rubber Hut (USA); Sara Crow (co-writer-co-director) and David Rafailedes (Co-Writer, Co-Director) with Satoshi (USA); Urvashi Pathania (writer-director) with Skin (USA); Claire Fowler (writer-director) with Toad (UK); and Ramzi Bashour (writer-director) with Tomahawk Springs (usa).
Led by artistic Director Gyula Gazdag, the Directors Lab advisors include Miguel Arteta, Joan Darling, Rick Famuyiwa, Stephen Goldblatt, Keith Gordon, Reinaldo Marcus Green, Andrew Haigh, Randa Haines, Ed Harris, Siân Heder, André Holland, Karyn Kusama, Pam Martin, Estes Tarver, and Dylan Tichenor.
The 2024 Screenwriters Lab will be held online from June 4–7, when fellows will refine their scripts through individual story sessions with screenwriter advisors and group sessions on the art and craft of screenwriting.
Artistic director Howard Rodman leads the Lab and advisors include John August, Scott Z. Burns, Reggie Rock Bythewood, Scott Frank, Susannah Grant, Tamara Jenkins, Meg LeFauve, Jenny Lumet, Josh Marston, Kemp Powers, Robin Swicord, and Joan Tewkesbury.
“For over four decades since their conception, the labs remain critical to the vitality of the independent filmmaking community,” said Michelle Satter, founding senior director of artist programmes. ”It has never been more important to invest in the growth of independent storytellers.”
Satter oversees the Directors and Screenwriters Labs alongside Ilyse McKimmie, deputy director of the feature film programme.
Adam Piron, director of the Institute’s indigenous programme, oversees the Native Lab with Ianeta Le’i, the programme’s senior manager.
No comments yet