A-List Directors Share Their First Experiences at the Sundance Film Festival
A new video series, titled *Sundance Film Festival Breakout Moment*, is set to debut during this year’s Sundance Film Festival, which runs from January 22 to February 1 in Park City, Utah. The series was created in partnership with the Directors Guild of America (DGA).
In the series, filmmakers share their memorable experiences from their first Sundance festivals. Notably, Ava DuVernay recalls being trapped in a blizzard while en route to “the famous Robert Redford filmmaker luncheon.” Similarly, Gina Prince-Bythewood reflects on the moment her film *Love & Basketball* received a standing ovation. “It was dead silent. I remember saying in my head, ‘Oh, I guess they didn’t get it,’” she said. “And moments later, suddenly, the crowd erupted, and we got this incredible standing ovation, and I got to see how much love and appreciation for the film there was.”
Sundance is widely cherished within the film community. Alma Har’el, who premiered her film *Honeyboy* at the festival, noted, “Everybody there loves cinema and can prove it because they’re freezing their ass off just to get in. You walk in, no trailers, no posters, no marketing, and this movie unfolds.”
The festival’s founder, the late Robert Redford, continues to influence filmmakers. Zal Batmanglij, known for his work on *Sound of My Voice*, remarked on Redford’s lasting impact: “At the height of his fame, he leaves town and goes to Utah. I just can’t think of anybody doing that today. It’s really inspiring, because it changed the course of American filmmaking.”
For director Lee Isaac Chung, his inaugural Sundance experience was deeply personal. He recalled, “We had a big crew of people come to the festival. We decided we’re going to get together in a condo and we’re just going to cook up a bunch of Korean food and hang out.” Chung also mentioned a hobby inspired by Redford: “I always loved Redford’s films. *A River Runs Through It* was a big deal for me in college. I even started fly-fishing.”
Viewers can also hear from directors James Wan (*Saw*), Anu Valia (*Lucia Before and After*), Rebecca Miller (*Angela*), and Todd Field (*In the Bedroom*) as they share their own Sundance memories.
The video is presented by Casamigos and created in partnership with the DGA.
