Overview

• 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.