Kaelan Denali Dickinson Named 2026 Black List and Cassian Elwes Independent Screenwriting Fellow, Joining Elwes at Sundance

Kaelan Denali Dickinson Named 2026 Independent Screenwriting Fellow by The Black List

In a significant announcement, The Black List and producer Cassian Elwes have appointed Kaelan Denali Dickinson as the 2026 Independent Screenwriting Fellow. This marks the 13th year of the fellowship, which aims to discover and nurture emerging talent within independent cinema.

As part of the fellowship, Dickinson will receive an all-expenses-paid opportunity to attend the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. There, she will benefit from direct mentorship from Elwes, gaining invaluable insights into the indie film landscape.

Dickinson, an actress and screenwriter raised in Alaska, has a diverse background. She swam Division I at UC Santa Barbara before transitioning to education, teaching second grade in Baton Rouge and fourth grade in Washington, D.C. Eventually, she stepped away from the classroom to work in the Senate, later spending time as an extra on popular shows such as House of Cards and Veep. Currently residing in Anchorage, she focuses on writing grants to help Alaska Native communities and rural municipalities secure funding for various projects, including renewable energy initiatives and fishing infrastructure.

Elwes, known for his work on films like The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Mudbound, and Dallas Buyers Club, selected Dickinson based on her screenplay American Gold. The script narrates the journey of Katherine Switzer, who became the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon. Through her experiences, Switzer grapples with her legacy in sports and the cultural movements she helped to shape.

In collaboration on the fellowship, The Black List and Elwes have focused on selecting unrepresented feature writers with independent sensibilities, specifically targeting those who have earned less than $5,000 in their careers.

“One of the highlights of my professional year is The Black List fellowship,” said Elwes. “Last year, DEAD MAN’S WIRE was shooting in Kentucky, and I brought the Fellow to visit. This year, I’m delighted to bring the Fellow to an auspicious event: the last Sundance in Park City, where we will celebrate not only Robert Redford’s incredible vision but also the brilliant filmmakers, both young and old, who have created and continue to shape the history of independent cinema.”

Past Independent Screenwriting Fellows include notable writers such as Natalie Baseman, Tania Gunadi, and Emily Tomson, among others.

Franklin Leonard, founder of The Black List, expressed his gratitude for the ongoing partnership with Elwes. “In an independent film landscape that seems to be changing by the minute, Cassian’s generosity has helped us support an extraordinary range of filmmakers over the last thirteen years,” he said. “I’m grateful that we continue to bet on bold voices together, especially this year, with Sundance’s last event in Park City. It certainly doesn’t hurt that this year’s story centers on women’s sports.”