(L-R) Pat Mitchell, Maryam Keshavarz, Noora Niasari and Sierra Urich speak at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival Women at Sundance Celebration in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images)
By Stephanie Ornelas
Fifty-six percent of the feature films [that premiered at the Festival] were directed by women this year, and if that sounds like a lot, it's because it is, Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente says to a crowded, cheering room at the Women at Sundance Presented by MSNBC Films and NBC News Studios celebration January 21 in Park City.
The Park was full of women creators who were ready to celebrate their films in the Festival program and the accomplishments they've made to independent cinema.
Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente speaks onstage during the 2023 Sundance Film Festival Women at Sundance Celebration on January 21, 2023 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images) That's really a theme of the 2023 Festival, says Vicente. The Festival includes the highest percentage of women directors in Sundance history. What I find really thrilling is this: we didn't set out to find work directed by women. We set out to find the most exciting, compelling, interesting stories, and it just so happened that the majority of those are coming from women and BIPOC filmmakers.
Having been two years since this event last took place, guests were excited to come together to catch up over appetizers, cocktails, and panel discussions. Artists including Noora Niasari (Shayda), Maryam Keshavarz (The Persian Version), Sierra Urich (Joonam), and Dakota Johnson (The Disappearance of Shere Hite), took the stage to participate in important discussions about sexual liberation and creating films centered around Iranian culture.
Progress for women in film doesn't just happen. It is the result of work that happens year-round, every single day, says Vicente. This work matters. Without it, we miss out on stories that move and entertain us.
Michele Satter, Founding Senior Director, Sundance Institute's Artist Programs, introduced the first panel discussion, but not before showing her excitement to be back on the mountain.
It's so great to be back in person. It's thrilling. Out of all the events, and there are many, this was the one we needed to get back, says Satter.
The first panel to go up featured Niasari, Keshavarz, and Urich, and was moderated by Sundance Institute board member Pat Mitchell. The three directors came together to talk about the experiences of women in Iran. But what was really compelling was how much they looked up to the women before them as inspiration for their films.
I wanted to write something joyous about the immigrant experience, and I started looking at how my mother and I are both writers in some way. My mother, as an immigrant, rewrote her story, and I, as a filmmaker, am constantly looking to rewrite the narrative of the Middle Eastern-Muslim experience. So it was really that the issue of identity had to tie into my past, and how I connected to my mother's story and my mother as an Iranian, says Keshavarz.
Stephanie Ruhle and Dakota Johnson speak at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival Women at Sundance Celebration on January 21, 2023 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images) Guests were thrilled to hear from Johnson, who sat down with news anchor and women's advocate Stephanie Ruhle, and talked about redefining power as a woman and not just owning your sexuality, but being proud of it.
I think I'm sort of redefining what that means to me, says Johnson. Referring to her role in 50 Shades of Gray, she explains, I never saw that character as a sex symbol, and I never felt like one. I was really interested in the psychological aspect of that relationship, and someone exploring their sexuality and really being okay with themselves. That was what I was interested in.
Since that role, Johnson has brought women along with her on this journey to sexual empowerment. Women deserve that. I think it's dire that being allowed to have whatever sexuality they want or dream of should be totally supported.
When asked about her decision to become an investor and co-creative director for sexual wellness company Maude, Johnson says, I started working professionally when I was 18, and I experienced what it can be like on a film set where you don't have any power. And it can be really tough. You can give your heart and soul, and then you have no control over what happens. The film company you're working with, they'll just make whatever movie they want. I didn't like that after a while. I wanted to have more control. My grandmother worked with Hitchcock and he really damaged her career and she didn't end up making all the movies she could have.
Creating an environment that is really uplifting, really supportive, when every human on the set, or making the movie, or in the writing process feels totally valued and totally equal everyone works harder, has a good time, and is happier. And, to me, that's what feels right.
Women at Sundance Celebration Presented by MSNBC Films and NBC News Studios was also supported by J. Crew and Planned Parenthood.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
06/05/2026
Gravity Media Chief RF Communications Engineer Glenn Willems uses Wisycom RF over Fiber and wireless solutions across major cycling events and international mar...
06/05/2026
A Sennheiser Spectera module is now available in Bitfocus Companion and Buttons, enabling direct integration of Spectera with the two software platforms. The mo...
06/05/2026
Ted Turner, the visionary media entrepreneur whose appetite for disruption helpe...
06/05/2026
Peacock is going all-in on the beautiful game - streaming all 104 FIFA World Cup...
06/05/2026
New pricing tiers for vocal/dialogue restoration tool
NoiseWorks Audio's AI-powered vocal and dialogue processing plug-in is now available in three diff...
06/05/2026
Popular mixing & routing software overhauled
Following a recent public beta test, RME have launched the final release version of the powerful mixing and rou...
06/05/2026
New SOS Video Feature
Focusrites ISA C8X is a milestone product that brings together the companys analogue heritage and their expertise in digital audio. Yo...
06/05/2026
Polands Miecznik-class frigates are part of the largest contract in Polish shipbuilding history. (Image Credit: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
06 May 2026
VEON's Kyivstar Authorized to Resell Starlink for Businesses & ...
06/05/2026
UKTV has secured the exclusive rights to the early back catalogue of iconic Australian drama series Neighbours, following a landmark content deal with Fremantle...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky commissions feature documentary to mark 10th anniversa...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky and Formula 1 agree long-term partnership across UK, Ireland and Italy
Sky in the UK & Ireland to remain the home of Formula 1 until ...
06/05/2026
Sky Zero Footprint Fund-backed TV campaign launches nationwide, supported by new...
06/05/2026
Wuppertal May 6, 2026
Riedel Expands Leadership Structure, Appoints Marc Engro...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
(L-R) Pat Mitchell, Maryam Keshavarz, Noora Niasari and Sierra Urich speak at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival Women at Sundance Celebration in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images)
