Sundance Gala to Honor Michelle Satter and Emerging Filmmakers

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival fundraiser will celebrate Michelle Satter's four decades of championing independent film and recognize Sean Wang, Julian Brave NoiseCat, and Emily Kassie for their groundbreaking work.

Michelle Satter, Founding Senior Director of Artist Programs at Sundance Institute, will be honored for her 40 years of supporting independent artists through initiatives such as the Sundance Labs.
The annual gala, titled 'Celebrating Sundance Institute,' will take place on January 24, 2025, at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley in Utah during the Sundance Film Festival's opening weekend.
Sean Wang will receive the Vanguard Award for Fiction for his film 'Dìdi,' which won Sundance's U.S. Dramatic Audience Award and was later acquired by Focus Features.
Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, co-directors of 'Sugarcane,' will be honored with the Vanguard Award for Nonfiction after winning the U.S. Documentary Directing Award at the 2024 festival.
The gala serves as a key fundraiser for the Sundance Institute, supporting year-round artist programs, grants, and public initiatives to elevate independent storytelling globally.