From the Archives: The History of Sundance Institute's Documentary Film Program
24/10/2022
[Editor's Note: One of our favorite things about celebrating 20 years of Sundance Institute's Documentary Film Program is reflecting on the powerful leaders that the program has had at the helm. To start our final full week we're sharing former director Cara Mertes's knowledgeable look back at the first decade of the DFP. This piece was originally published on July 13, 2011.]
by Cara Mertes
This month, Sundance Institute is spotlighting the Documentary Film Program and its dedication to supporting contemporary-issue nonfiction storytelling. Keep an eye out for stories from the recently completed Doc Edit Lab and the Composer and Documentary Lab, as well as an inside look at the role of the editor in documentary filmmaking. Below, DFP Director Cara Mertes looks back at the Documentary Film Program over the last decade, and how it is evolving as a global resource for contemporary documentary filmmaking.
Robert Redford created Sundance Institute knowing that creativity, a fragile but fundamental impulse, can easily be sacrificed to the demands of power in all of its forms, whether market or military, government, community, faith, or family.
He wanted to conjure a space that was safe for experimentation, protected from purely profit-driven motives. Within that vision, it has long been Redford's consistent belief that documentary has a special role socially. It has the capacity to tell truths that are otherwise ignored, misunderstood or avoided, and it can do so in an entertaining and inspiring way.
This motivated him to make an early and unusual decision to platform documentary on an equal basis with independent narrative film when he started the Sundance Film Festival in the early 1980s. The Festival has been a pioneering force in popularizing independent contemporary documentary as an art form ever since, and in 2001, the opportunity came to build an artist's support program for documentary at the Institute, alongside the existing feature film, theatre, native, and composers labs, and it seemed a natural next step.
We need to know that our innate belief in individual rights, democracy, and freedom of expression will be respected by the political and business power brokers. And when that doesn't happen, we need to know why.
-Robert Redford
Part 1: The Soros Documentary FundThe Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program was born out of the Soros Documentary Fund, which Diane Weyermann spearheaded in the mid-1990s at Open Society Institute. Her vision of a fund focused on human rights and social justice topics was supported by human rights leader and OSI executive director Aryeh Neier.
They believed that nonfiction films could be effective at raising awareness and creating momentum around human rights issues. They were right, and this was a seminal moment for independent documentary. The Soros Documentary Fund became one of the first global funds for documentary focused solely on human rights, and it supported films that went to public television, cable, theatrical screening and were seen internationally.
In 2001, when Weyermann joined Sundance Institute to run international activities, the Soros Fund was moved to Sundance Institute, where Weyermann swiftly began laying the groundwork for what is now the newest creative support program at Sundance Institute, the Documentary Film Program.
Part 2: Cara Mertes Comes on BoardI joined Sundance Institute in 2006 as director of the DFP, with a passion for independent documentary's pivotal social role, and a long career dedicated to supporting independent films, filmmakers, and the field. At public television and as an independent producer and director, I worked to bring the margins to the mainstream, building a bridge between the experimentation of artists, and the interests of audiences by creating, curating, funding, and broadcasting independent film of all kinds, with a special focus on documentary as both an art form and an increasingly crucial democratic function.
Because Sundance Institute and public television have both been trailblazers in contemporary-issue storytelling in building several generations of audiences, exposing stories that otherwise would remain in the shadows, and nurturing talent, for me, the transition to Sundance Institute seemed rife with possibility.
Since 2006, much has changed, yet much has remained the same for indie doc makers. The world is more interconnected, networking capabilities, and digital technologies are revolutionizing every aspect of our lives, and the challenges we face globally are daunting. What has remained the same is the way that story connects all of us.
The combination of urgency, connectedness and inter-dependency that has marked the early days of the 21st century has resulted, broadly, in more people telling more stories about more realities than ever before, and nonfiction is a rising tide in this sea of stories. What hasn't kept pace is funding and distribution mechanisms that ensure that these films are made at their highest potential, and that audiences can reliably and consistently find them. These are the areas that define our work today.
The DFP has kept its original human rights DNA, while expanding to contemporary documentary more broadly, and we have prioritized three things in the past few years: the increasingly global scope of our work; the need to create effective and strategic collaborations and partnerships internationally which reinvent and redefine resources and infrastructure for documentary, and most importantly, continuing to deepen and expand the creative and financial support of documentary artists, as Robert Redford mandated 30 years ago.
Part 3: What's Happening NowDFP activities now include granting about $1.5 million annually
LINK: | https://www.sundance.org/blogs/the-brave-new-worlds-of-documentary/... |
See more stories from sundance |
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet Appoints Santiago Solanas as CEO to Lead Next Era of Growth and Innovation
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet and Veritone Reach Agreement to Distribute, Transact and Monetize Media Archives
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
28/04/2024
Mediahaus delivers the first SRT live-streaming sports production over 5G with URSA Broadcast G2
Mediahaus delivers the first SRT live-streaming sports production over 5G with U...
27/04/2024
L3Harris Chair and CEO Christopher E. Kubasik Discusses 1Q24 On CNBC's "Closing Bell: Overtime"
On April 26, L3Harris Chair and CEO Christopher E. Kubasik joined CNBC's Mor...
27/04/2024
Audinate Adds Major New Features to Dante Connect
PORTLAND, Oregon Audinate Group Limited, the developer of the Dante AV-over-IP solution, announced significant new additions to Dante Connect, its cloud-based D...
27/04/2024
Bell Media Launches New Portfolio of FAST Channels
TORONTO Bell Media has launched 10 English and French-language FAST channels featuring entertainment, factual, news, and sports programming. The new free stream...
27/04/2024
Study: Broadcast TV Evening News Avoids Serious Economic Issues
An extensive new analysis of the news segments in the broadcast evening news programs of ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS has found that broadcasters devoted most of their...
27/04/2024
Hughes Opens Manufacturing Facility and Private 5G Incubation Center in Maryland
GERMANTOWN, Md. EchoStar's Hughes Network Systems has opened a new manufacturing facility and private 5G incubation center in Germantown, Maryland....
27/04/2024
Broadcasting Legend Harry Pappas Dead At 78
Harry Pappas, one of three brothers who founded Pappas Telecasting Companies in 1971, died April 24. He was 78 years old....
27/04/2024
Televisa Selects Synamedia For Broadcast Distribution Overhaul
ATLANTA and LONDON Mexican telecommunications and broadcast company Televisa has selected Synamedia for an overhaul of its broadcast distribution....
27/04/2024
Participate in the Survey - The Impact of AI on Media and the Creative Industry
Participate in the Survey - The Impact of AI on Media and the Creative Industry Pascal Wagner April 26, 2024 0 Comments By participating in this surve...
27/04/2024
SDVI Rally Access Workstation Earns Two Top Awards at 2024 NAB Show
SDVI Rally Access Workstation Earns Two Top Awards at 2024 NAB Show Brie Clayton April 26, 2024 0 Comments SDVI, the leading platform provider for clo...
27/04/2024
Berklee's Music and Health Institute Launches Community Health Musician Certificate
Berklee's Music and Health Institute Launches Community Health Musician Cert...
27/04/2024
Charter Reports Higher Q1 Profits Despite Broadband, Video Losses
Charter Communications reported higher first-quarter profits despite continued cord-cutting and competition for broadband customers....
27/04/2024
Environmental Groups Aim To Make Unscripted TV More Sustainable
Two environmentally-focused groups are partnering to engage the unscripted TV world in finding better ways to address climate change. Reality of Change is an ec...
27/04/2024
Sarah Garcia Named Weekend Anchor at Telemundo 40 in Texas
Sarah Garcia has been promoted to weekend anchor at KTLM McAllen, Texas, known as Telemundo 40. Starting April 27, she will anchor Noticias Telemundo 40 weekend...
27/04/2024
CBS Sports Kicks Off FAST Channel for UEFA Champions League on Pluto TV
CBS Sports said it launched a new 24-hour free, ad supported streaming television (FAST) channel devoted to the UEFA Champions League....
27/04/2024
Brian Roberts's Pay Rose To $35 Million at Comcast
Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts received $35.4 million in compensation in 2023, up 11% from the previous year, according to a proxy statement filed by th...
27/04/2024
John Lithgow Goes Back to School in Art Happens Here'
Art Happens Here With John Lithgow, which sees the actor study dance, ceramics, silk-screen printing and vocal jazz with students in Los Angeles, debuts on PBS ...
27/04/2024
FETV Wants Upfront Buyers Seeking Cable Viewers To Join Its Family
Remember Leave It to Beaver? Bewitched? Dragnet? When cable ratings were rising?...
27/04/2024
Catchy Comedy Features Gomer Pyle, USMC' Weekend Marathon
Next up for the weekend binge at Catchy Comedy is Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Every weekend, Catchy Comedy features The Catchy Binge, a marathon of a classic sitcom....
26/04/2024
Sundance Film Festival CDMX 2024 kicks off today at Cinpolis
Sundance Film Festival CDMX 2024 kicks-off today with screenings in 5 theaters in Mexico City and the opening-night film, FRIDA, directed by Carla Guti rrez...
26/04/2024
Interview: Lourdes Portillo, Director of Las madres de la Plaza de Mayo, La Ofrenda
[Editor's Note: This interview is part of a larger feature about the women d...
26/04/2024
Career insights instead of everyday school life
Once again this year, SGL Carbon opened its doors to interested children and young people. On the occasion of the German Girls and Boys Day, which took place on...
26/04/2024
L3Harris Technologies Reports Strong First Quarter 2024 Results, Increases 2024 Profitability Guidance
Orders1 of $5.5 billion; book-to-bill of 1.06x Revenue of $5.2 billion, up 17%,...
26/04/2024
What Makes A Network Resilient?
Five Considerations For Communications Modernization In The 21st Century In the digital-enabled battlespace, the Joint Force needs to shoot, move and communica...
26/04/2024
CBS Sports Launches New Free Streaming Channel
CBS Sports has launched Champions League as a new, 24-hour streaming channel that will serve as the year-round destination for nonstop highlights of the UEFA ...
26/04/2024
Roku Streaming Homes Hit 81.6M
Despite tough competition in the streaming space, Roku reported solid results in Q1 2024, beating revenue expectations, with total net revenue up 19% YoY to $88...
26/04/2024
Sarah Farrell Named General Manager Of Pinewood Toronto Studios
LONDON AND TORONTO Pinewood Toronto Studios has appointed Sarah Farrell as general manager of the Studios in downtown Toronto....
26/04/2024
Quantum to Offer Advanced Filesharing Technology and Performance in StorNext and Myriad Solutions
Quantum to Offer Advanced Filesharing Technology and Performance in StorNext and...
26/04/2024
FilmLight Colour Awards welcomes 2024 entries and introduces new Emerging Talent' award
FilmLight Colour Awards welcomes 2024 entries and introduces new Emerging Talen...
26/04/2024
Picture Shop Announces Chris Evans as Head of Unscripted
Picture Shop Announces Chris Evans as Head of Unscripted Brie Clayton April 26, 2024 0 Comments Picture Shop announced Chris Evans will lead Unscripte...
26/04/2024
Participate in a Survey - The Impact of AI on Media and the Creative Industry
Participate in a Survey - The Impact of AI on Media and the Creative Industry Pascal Wagner April 26, 2024 0 Comments By participating in this survey,...
26/04/2024
Hi Barbie! Mattel Launching First FAST Channels on Samsung TV Plus
Toy maker Mattel said it is working with Samsung to launch its first free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels later this year....
26/04/2024
Marty Moe Named President Of Trusted Media Brands
Trusted Media Brands (TMB) said it named Marty Moe as president....
26/04/2024
Ron Howard Directs Jim Henson Documentary for Disney Plus
Ron Howard is the director on Jim Henson Idea Man, a documentary that premieres on Disney Plus May 31. Henson of course created Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Big...
26/04/2024
Kraken Skate Away From RSN Root Sports for Deals With Tegna, Amazon
The ice continues to melt under the regional sports network business as the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League have made a long-term deal to broadcast...
26/04/2024
Warner Bros. Discovery Launches Olli First-Party Data Platform
Heading into the upfronts, Warner Bros. Discovery said it launched Olli, a first-party data platform advertiser can use for converged, targeted advertising camp...
26/04/2024
The Equalizer' Gets Season 5 on CBS
CBS has renewed the drama The Equalizer, which will see season five on in 2024-2025. Queen Latifah stars....
26/04/2024
The CW Inks New Deal for Miss USA, Miss Teen USA
The CW has entered into an exclusive multiyear broadcast partnership for the Miss USA Pageant and the Miss Teen USA Pageant. The 73rd Miss USA Pageant will air ...
26/04/2024
Fuse Urging Young Viewers To Vote With Blunt Campaign
Fuse Media isn't mincing words in a campaign urging its young viewers to register and participate in the 2024 elections....
26/04/2024
Neil Gaiman's Sandman' Universe Expands With Dead Boy Detectives'
Dead Boy Detectives, a series from Neil Gaiman about a detective agency staffed by ghosts, debuts on Netflix April 25. George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri are in t...
26/04/2024
The Story Collective opens largest film and TV studio in the heart of London
The Story Collective has gradually repurposed the former Mortlake Brewery to include production offices, workshops and sound stages By Matthew Corrigan Publi...
26/04/2024
Richard Perkett joins Amagi as chief product officer
Perkett joins the company following a 25 year career in product management, product marketing, engineering and user experience (UX) across multiple industries ...
26/04/2024
Teradek Announces Smaller More Robust Built-in Antennas f...
Teradek, the industry leader in wireless video transmitters and receivers, announced today the launch of new Bolt 6 LT 750 and Bolt 6 Monitor Module 750 RX with...
26/04/2024
Amagi Names Richard Perkett Chief Product Officer
NEW YORK Amagi has appointed Richard Perkett chief product officer (CPO)....
26/04/2024
NAB Board Election Results Announced
WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has announced the results of the 2024 NAB Radio and Television Board of Directors elections. The...
26/04/2024
Mattel to Launch First FAST Channels on Samsung TV Plus
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. & NEW YORK Mattel has announced a deal to launch its first three 24/7 free ad supported streaming (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus, Samsung...
26/04/2024
NextGen TV Launches In Portland, Maine
PORTLAND, Maine Viewers here can now receive the NextGen TV signals of five local stations with the launch of ATSC 3.0 service from host station WPFO, which is ...