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| Top Row L–R: Ana Katz, Natalia Almada, Bao Nguyen, Tatiana Maslany, AV Rockwell, Dr Heather Berlin;
Second Row L–R: Sophie Barthes, Azazel Jacobs, Janicza Bravo, Martin Starr, Dr Andrea Ghez, Ari Handel;Third Row L–R: Jennie Livingston, Toni Kamau, Liv Constable-Maxwell, Nisha Ganatra, Trevor Groth, Justin Chang; Bottom Row L–R: John Cooper, Nicole Perlman, Kirsten Schaffer, So Yong Kim Photo: Courtesy of Sundance Institute |
The World Dramatic Competition jury features Ana Katz (The Dog Who Wouldn't Be Quiet), So Yong Kim (In Between Days) and Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany.
Festival director of the festival and public programming Eugene Hernandez said: “This year’s jury represents a rare depth of creative conviction and exceptional range, made up of artists and thinkers who know what it means to take risks. They bring curiosity, rigor, and a deep respect for bold storytelling, qualities that are essential to discovering the films that will define the future of independent cinema.”
The US Documentary Competition jury comprises The New Yorker film critic Justin Chang, Natalia Almada (El General) and Jennie Livingston (Paris Is Burning), while the World Cinema equivalent is made up of Toni Kamau (Softie), Bao Nguyen (The Stringer) and CEO of Women in Film Kirsten Schaffer.
MACK publishing director Liv Constable-Maxwell, AV Rockwell (A Thousand And One) and actor Martin Starr (There's Something In The Barn) will select the Short Competition winners.
Two old favourites from the festival, former director John Cooper and former director of programming Trevor Groth will consider the Next contenders.
“Planning this special year, it felt especially meaningful to invite a slate of jurors who have a rich history with the Festival, all deeply rooted in the creative community they will now help champion,” said Kim Yutani, the Festival’s director of programming, referring to the festival's last edition in Park City, Utah, before a move to Boulder, Colorado next year. “It’s a full-circle way to honor many of the artists, partners, and industry members who have played such a pivotal role in shaping the Sundance Film Festival’s legacy for more than 40 years.”
Rounding out the juries are the Alfred P Sloan jurors, who selected a film with a scientific theme or character: Sophie Barthes (The Pod Generation), neuroscientist and clinical psychologist Dr Heather Berlin, astronomer and Nobel Physics Prize-winner Dr Andrea Ghez, producer Ari Handel (The Fountain) and screenwriter Nicole Perlman (Guardians Of The Galaxy). Deliberated ahead of the festival, they awarded the prize to In The Blink of An Eye director Andrew Stanton and screenwriter Colby Day.
The awards will be announced on January 30 and the festival runs from January 22 to Febuary 1.
