2027 Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellowship Application

The Sundance Institute and Adobe are teaming up to find the next 10 Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellows. Submit a one- to 15-minute short film that shows us your artistic vision and unique voice as a filmmaker.

The Sundance Institute and Adobe are teaming up to find the next 10 Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellows—emerging filmmakers (ages 18 to 25) who are creating stories that bring their passion, voice, and perspective to life. 

The Sundance Institute Ignite program identifies and supports new voices and talent from the next generation of filmmakers by providing artistic and professional development to advance filmmakers to the next stage in their filmmaking. The yearlong Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellowship is open to emerging documentary and fiction filmmakers from across the globe between ages 18 and 25. The fellowship begins with a weeklong in-person lab at MASSMoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts, orienting filmmakers to the fellowship and year ahead. Throughout the year, filmmakers will:

• Work with a Sundance Institute alumni mentor for 1 year
• Receive a $5,000 artist grant
• Participate as a cohort in monthly webinars, workshops and workshares throughout the year
• Receive a complimentary Adobe Creative Cloud 12-month membership, where Creative Cloud is available
• Attend the 2028 Sundance Film Festival

To choose this year’s fellows, we’re asking filmmakers to submit a one- to 15-minute short that shows us their artistic vision and unique voice. Submissions aren’t limited to any genre or topic — the only requirement is that they represent the filmmaker’s perspective as an artist. You will also include materials in support of a new project that you intend to work on throughout the fellowship. 

For resources to help craft your submission, check out the Sundance Collab Filmmaker Toolkit.

Submission Guidelines

• One entry per person.
• To apply for the fellowship, you must be between the ages of 18 and 25 as of February 11, 2027.
• Films submitted must be under 15 minutes long (including credits), and must have been made within the last 12 months, as of February 11, 2027.
• Any film not in English must include English subtitles.
• You can complete your submission by uploading it to this site, or by linking to the film on YouTube or Vimeo.
• The maximum file size you can upload is 4.9GB.
• Accepted video file format: MP4.
• A future project is required for the fellowship, however there is no obligation or expectation to complete the project during the fellowship. Materials to support this future project can include lookbooks, five pages of a script, treatments and pitch decks. Note: Materials must be in a PDF format.
• The deadline to submit is February 11, 2027, at 11 a.m. PST.

Sundance Institute Ignite is supported by Adobe and Arison Arts Foundation.

Accessibility

Sundance Collab provides accommodations and support services to participants with disabilities. Accommodations and services are designed to meet the needs of each participant. Submit our Request Accessibility Support form to arrange for services.