Firelight-Supported Filmmakers at Sundance Film Festival 2024
Members of the Firelight Media and Firelight Films communities will premiere documentaries at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, later this month.
Congratulations to the members of the Firelight Media and Firelight Films communities who are premiering films at the Sundance Film Festival! This year, nearly a dozen filmmakers in our network, including Documentary Lab alumni, William Greaves Research & Development Fund grantees, mentors of our artist programs fellows, and producers of Firelight Films projects, will premiere new documentaries at the festival. View the list below, and be sure to get tickets for in-person and online screenings now before they sell out!
‘Union,’ co-directed by Stephen Maing and edited by Malika Zouhali-Worrall
In Union, co-directed by Spark Fund (NEH) recipient Stephen Maing and edited by Documentary Lab alum and William Greaves Research & Development Fund grantee Malika Zouhali-Worrall, the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) — a group of current and former Amazon workers in New York City’s Staten Island — takes on one of the world’s largest and most powerful companies in the fight to unionize.
‘Luther: Never Too Much,’ directed by Dawn Porter
Luther: Never Too Much, directed by Documentary Lab alum Dawn Porter, centers on legendary recording artist Luther Vandross. He started his career supporting David Bowie, Roberta Flack, Bette Midler, and more. His undeniable talent earned platinum records and accolades, but he struggled to break out beyond the R&B charts. Intensely driven, he overcame personal and professional challenges to secure his place among the greatest vocalists in history.
‘The Greatest Night in Pop,’ directed by Bao Nguyen
Documentary Lab alum Bao Nguyen is the director of The Greatest Night in Pop, which will make its World Premiere in a special screening presentation. In 1985, 46 music icons, including Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Diana Ross, and Stevie Wonder, came together for the most star-studded recording session in history. This is the untold story of the legendary global pop song “We Are the World” — which very nearly didn’t happen.
‘God Save Texas: La Frontera,’ directed by Iliana Sosa
God Save Texas: La Frontera is part of a three-film non-sequential anthology series inspired by the book God Save Texas: A Journey Into the Soul of the Lone Star State by Lawrence Wright, directed by Impact Producer Fellowship alum Iliana Sosa. The film examines how “nepantla,” an embrace of in-betweenness, characterizes relations to both her Mexican heritage and her hometown of El Paso, Texas. An exploration revealing how the city’s humanity and unique hybridity catalyzed unity, nurturing healing in the aftermath of a devastating mass shooting in 2019.
‘Igualada,’ directed by Juan Mejía Botero, produced by Juan E. Yepes, and executive-produced by Marco Williams
Igualada is directed by Juan Mejía Botero and produced by Juan E. Yepes, both of whom have served as producers on Firelight Films projects, and executive-produced by Marco Williams, a William Greaves Research & Development Fund grantee and co-director and producer of Firelight Films projects. In one of Latin America’s most unequal countries, Francia Márquez, a Black Colombian rural activist, challenges the status quo with a presidential campaign that reappropriates the derogatory term “Igualada” — someone who acts as if they deserve rights that supposedly don’t correspond to them — and inspires a nation to dream.
‘Frida,’ directed by Carla Gutiérrez
Frida, directed by Artist Programs mentor Carla Gutiérrez, is an intimately raw and magical journey through the life, mind, and heart of iconic artist Frida Kahlo. Told through her own words for the very first time — drawn from her diary, revealing letters, essays, and print interviews — and brought vividly to life by lyrical animation inspired by her unforgettable artwork.
‘Power,’ directed by Yance Ford
Driven to maintain social order, policing in the U.S. has exploded in scope and scale over hundreds of years. In Power, director Yance Ford — who has served as a mentor for our Artist Programs fellows — invites conscious engagement and reflection on a system of control that has gone largely unquestioned and a sweeping chronicle of the history and evolution of policing in the United States.
‘To Be Invisible’, directed by Myah Overstreet
To Be Invisible is the documentary short film debut by Myah Overstreet, a former Firelight Films intern. Every week for the past three years, Alexis and Kellie have stood outside Durham County’s child welfare agency, demanding the return of their children. Together, they embark on a journey to bring their children home.
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival runs January 18–28 in Park City, Utah, with select screenings and events available online. View the complete festival line-up and get tickets and passes at festival.sundance.org.
