The Sundance Institute Native Lab Fellowship program was honored this year for its ongoing commitment and support of filmmakers.
First, with the Lake Arrowhead Film Festival’s Contribution to Native American Filmmaking Award; and, secondly with the Hawai’i International Film Festival’s Vision in Film Award.
The awards acknowledged the ongoing commitment and support of Native American and Indigenous artists that has existed since the founding of the Sundance Institute.
Created to provide direct support to emerging Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Alaskan Native film artists working in the U.S., the Fellowship is a two-stage development opportunity for filmmakers with short film scripts. The first stage of development is an intensive 5-day workshop, held May 20th - 24th, 2013. During the workshop, Fellows received intensive feedback on their projects from established screenwriters and directors.
Held at Sundance Film Festival, the second stage of the Fellowship advances the careers of the Fellows by providing networking opportunities with film professionals who advise them on the business of cinema.
At the upcoming 2013 Sundance Film Festival running Jan. 17-27, Native American and Indigenous filmmakers will be represented in several program categories:
- World Cinema Dramatic Competition: Shopping, Co-Director Louis Sutherland (Samoan)
- Shorts Program: The Captain, Co-Screenwriter Taika Waititi (Te Whanau Apanui), and Night Shift, Producer Chelsea Winstanley (Ngati Ranginui).
- Midnight: Ass Backwards, Producer Heather Rae (Cherokee) and Executive Producer Chad Burris (Chickasaw Nation).
For more about the Native Fellowship program, visit: http://www.sundance.org/programs/native-lab-fellowship
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