Sundance Institute Selects Projects and Panelists for Creative Film Producing Labs and Summit, August -8

Creative Producing Summit 2015

Credit: Jonathan Hickerson

Creative Producing Summit 2015

Credit: Brandon Cruz

Creative Producing Summit 2015

Credit: Jonathan Hickerson

Los Angeles, CA - Sundance Institute today announced the participants for its weeklong Creative Film Producing Initiative at the Sundance Resort in Utah, August 1-8, including eleven feature film and documentary projects for the Creative Producing Labs, and more than 50 industry leaders for the Creative Producing Summit. The Institute's Creative Producing Initiative encompasses a year-round series of Labs, Fellowships, granting and events focusing on nurturing the next generation of independent producers and renewing the community of veteran producers who sustain the vibrancy and vitality of independent film.

The Creative Producing Labs for Feature Film and Documentary will take place concurrently this year (August 1-5), with an added tailored track for two producers outside of the Lab Fellowship. Additionally, the Documentary Film Creative Producing Lab will relaunch this year in a new format focused on a holistic approach to growing producers, including intensive individual and project-based support themed sessions, one-on-one meetings and strategic advice from mentors that will last throughout the Fellowship year.

The Labs and Summit are now part of a broader Creative Producing Program, an alignment of all the Institute's work supporting creative producing and the field at large, which includes Artist Services for funding and distribution, the Catalyst Initiative, and year-round educational opportunities and resources. With this new structure, the Institute focuses on championing producers as a significant creative force, as they work to get projects made and seen by audiences, and strive to make the field more financially sustainable for all involved. The Institute will continue to recognize a Fiction and Non-Fiction Producer at the Sundance Festival Producers Lunch with the annual Producer's Award, which this year was supported by Amazon Studios.

The Feature Film Creative Producing Lab (August 1-5) identifies emerging producers and, under the guidance of Creative Advisors, allows them to develop their creative instincts and evolve their storytelling, communicating and problem-solving skills at all stages of their feature film project. Lab Fellows continue on through the Creative Producing Summit and receive ongoing yearlong mentorship, granting, and a tailored track at the Sundance Film Festival. This year's Creative Advisors include producers Anthony Bregman (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Heather Rae (Frozen River), Mary Jane Skalski (Mysterious Skin), Jay Van Hoy (American Honey), Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins), Philipp Engelhorn (Cinereach), Malia Scotch Marmo (Hook), and Victoria Cook (Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz).

The Documentary Film Creative Producing Lab (August 1-5) brings together emerging documentary feature producers with experienced advisors to refine and deepen the creative potential of their projects, while also focusing on the editorial, strategic, and interpersonal skills critical to being a successful Creative Producer. This fellowship includes group feedback, one-on-one meetings and sustained mentorship over the course of a year. This year's Creative Advisors include producers Daniel Chalfen (Silenced), Julie Goldman (Life, Animated) and Josh Penn (Beasts of the Southern Wild ).

The Creative Producing Summit takes place immediately following the Labs, August 5-8. More than 50 industry leaders will participate in a series of curated panels, case studies, roundtables, and one-on-one meetings addressing critical issues producers face including financing, distribution, audience engagement, marketing and sustainability. Panelists this year include Nicolette Aizenberg (A24), Len Amato (HBO Films), Michael Barker (Sony Pictures Classics), Mary Ann Marino (Amazon Studios), Ian Bricke (Netflix), Effie Brown (Duly Noted, Inc.), Andrew Catauro (Ford Foundation), Liz Cook (Kickstarter), Christine D'Souza (WME), Paul Davidson (The Orchard), Anna Godas (Dogwoof), Poppy Hanks (MACRO), John Hoffman (Discovery Channel), Kevin Iwashina (Preferred Content), Caroline Kaplan (Cinereach), Rosanne Korenberg (Miramax), Jessica Lacy (ICM Partners), Sophie Mas (RT Features), Zola Mashariki (BET), Lisa Nishimura (Netflix), Dana O'Keefe (Cinetic), Jenny Raskin (Impact Partners), Courtney Sexton (CNN Films), Tristen Tuckfield (CAA), Laura Turner Garrison (Vimeo), Lynette Wallworth (Coral: Rekindling Venus, Tender, Collisions ), Jamal Watson (Overbrook Entertainment), Hailey Wierengo (UTA), and Alexander Zahn (Sony Pictures Worldwide).

The Fellows and projects selected for the 2016 Feature Film Creative Producing Lab are:

Bull

Producing Fellow and Silverman Honoree: Monique Walton

In a near-abandoned subdivision west of Houston, a wayward teen runs headlong into her equally willful and unforgiving neighbor, an aging bullfighter who's seen his best days in the arena; it's a collision that will change them both. (Co-writer/director Annie Silverstein, co-writer Johnny McAllister)

Monique Walton produced the short film Skunk (written & directed by Annie Silverstein), which screened at festivals worldwide and won the top prize at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival - Cin fondation. She received a BA from Yale and an MFA in Film from University of Texas at Austin, where she is a youth mentor with the Black Media Council. Her work includes web videos for Nickelodeon, The Fit Cycle web series, and short documentaries for Doing Innovation, a Macarthur Foundation funded project. She recently co-produced Jesse Klein's upcoming feature We're Still Together, which will premiere at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Dey'Dey and His Brothers

LINK:	http://www.sundance.org/blogs/news/2016-creative-producing-labs-and-su...
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