2025 Sundance Film Festival Announces Jury Members

Top Row L-R: Kaniehtiio Horn, Vinnie Malhotra, Celine Song, Sam and Andy Zuchero, Kevin Macdonald, Wanuri Kahiu Second Row L-R: Nicholas Ma, Arian Moayed, Daniel Kaluuya, Elijah Wood, Nia Imara, Michael Almereyda Third Row L-R: Dr. Monica Lopez, Maggie Mackay, Marcia Smith, Reinaldo Marcus Green, Daniela Alatorre, Ava Cahen Bottom Row L-R: Steven Bognar, Kibwe Tavares, Laura Kim

PARK CITY, UTAH, January 14, 2025 - The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today the 16 jurors granting awards honoring excellence in cinematic and artistic achievement at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, along with the five jury members who present the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize. The 2025 Festival will kick off on Thursday, January 23, with premieres in Park City every day through the end of Tuesday, January 28. Additional showings will take place in Park City and Salt Lake City throughout the Festival until Sunday, February 2. Over 11 days, world debuts of projects across program categories will highlight fresh voices, entertaining stories, and groundbreaking works.

Select awarded films in competition will be screened in person from February 1-2. Single Film Tickets for in-person and online screenings go on sale Thursday, January 16, at 10 a.m. MT. Visit the Sundance Film Festival website for more information: festival.sundance.org.

The 16 jury members, reflecting a range of diverse and influential perspectives, will select the winners to be announced during the Awards Ceremony held at The Ray Theatre on Friday, January 31. The 2025 Sundance Film Festival jury includes: Reinaldo Marcus Green, Arian Moayed, and Celine Song for the U.S. Dramatic Competition; Steven Bognar, Vinnie Malhotra, and Marcia Smith for the U.S. Documentary Competition; Ava Cahen, Wanuri Kahiu, and Daniel Kaluuya for the World Cinema Dramatic Competition; Daniela Alatorre, Laura Kim, and Kevin Macdonald for the World Cinema Documentary Competition; Kaniehtiio Horn, Maggie Mackay, and Kibwe Tavares for the Short Film Program Competition; and Elijah Wood for the NEXT section.

The jury for the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize deliberated ahead of the Festival and awarded the prize to SALLY, directed by Cristina Costantini. This jury includes Michael Almereyda, Nia Imara, Monica Lopez, Nicholas Ma, and Sam and Andy Zuchero.

We are thrilled to announce the incredible and accomplished group that comprise the 2025 Sundance Film Festival's jury, said Eugene Hernandez, Director, Sundance Film Festival and Public Programming. The jury plays a pivotal role in helping us recognize and amplify a new generation of storytellers, which is a crucial part of our work in independent cinema.

The jury will embark on an exciting journey to recognize the storytelling and artistic achievements that are a part of this year's program, said Kim Yutani, the Festival's Director of Programming. We are truly appreciative of their commitment and are looking forward to having them join us at the Festival.

Festivalgoers attending in person will participate in selecting the 2025 Audience Awards, which are available to films in the U.S. Competition, World Competition, and NEXT categories. Attendees will also have the opportunity to vote for the Festival Favorite, chosen from all in-person eligible feature film screenings. The Audience Awards will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on Friday, January 31. The Festival Favorite film will be announced at the conclusion of the Festival on Sunday, February 2.

Following are the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Jury members and their respective sections:

U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION JURY

Reinaldo Marcus Green is a writer, director, and producer. He most recently directed and wrote Paramount's Bob Marley: One Love, which debuted at number one at the box office. Green is best known for directing the critically acclaimed Warner Bros. film King Richard, which was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and earned Will Smith his first Oscar win.

Arian Moayed, an Iranian-born actor, co-founded Waterwell in New York City. Credits include Tony Award nominations for Broadway's A Doll's House and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, The Humans (Drama Desk Award), Guards at the Taj (Obie Award), Succession (two Emmy nominations), Inventing Anna (Netflix), and Ms. Marvel.

Celine Song's feature debut, Past Lives (2023 Sundance Film Festival), received Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay and won Independent Spirit Awards for Best Director and Best Feature and the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing - First-Time Feature Film. A24 will release her second film.

U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION JURY

Steven Bognar is an Oscar- and Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker based in Ohio. His films include American Factory (2019 Sundance Film Festival), 9to5: The Story of a Movement, A Lion in the House (2006 Sundance Film Festival), and The Last Truck. He co-directed each with his late partner, Julia Reichert.

Vinnie Malhotra, an Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning producer, leads the film and TV division of President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground. Malhotra served as executive vice president of nonfiction programming at Showtime, led development and acquisitions at CNN Worldwide, and began his career as an ABC News producer.

Marcia Smith is a filmmaker, writer, and a co-founder and president of Firelight Media, a nonprofit organization that supports and advocates on behalf of documentary filmmakers of color. She recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from DOC NYC and a Silver Anthem Award for Nonprofit Leadership - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION JURY

Ava Cahen is the artistic director of Cannes Critics' Week. She is the co-founder and co-chief editor of frenchmania

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