In our Insider Sessions, Sundance Institute staff answer your questions and guide you through the process of applying to our labs, grant opportunities and the Sundance Film Festival.


For this Insider Session, join Feature Film Program Deputy Director Ilyse McKimmie and 2018 Sundance Lab alum Beth de Araújo (Josephine) for an informational session about applying for Feature Film Development Track programs and fellowships. Get an inside look into the Sundance Lab experience from Beth’s personal experience attending the Screenwriters and Directors Labs.


The conversation will be followed by a live Q&A session to answer your questions surrounding the application process for this year's development track. If you're planning to apply, bring your questions about what we look for in an application, the right time to apply, the specifics of our programs, and more.


Learn more about the Feature Film Program by visiting the Sundance Institute website.


APPLICATION DATES

  • 2027 Development Track: opens April 14, 2026 | closes May 12, 2026
    • To apply, click here.


If you would benefit from an accommodation to fully participate in this event, please complete this form, contact us at (435) 776-7790, or email us at accessibility@sundance.org to discuss your specific requests. Every effort will be made to accommodate advance requests; however, requests made within 5 days of the event may not be guaranteed.


A recording of this Insider Session will be posted to Sundance Collab on the first business day after the live event. All registered attendees will receive an email with a link to view the recording at no cost through the end of the application submission window. After that, on-demand access to the recording can be purchased for $10.

Ilyse McKimmie
Deputy Director, Sundance Institute Feature Film Program
Ilyse McKimmie is the Deputy Director for Sundance Institute's Feature Film Program. She oversees the Directors and Screenwriters Labs and the Screenwriters Intensive, provides year-round creative and strategic support to alumni filmmakers, and plays a key role in the Producers and Episodic Programs. more...
Beth de Araújo
Beth de Araújo is a Writer and Director nominated for the 2022 Gotham Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award for her debut film, SOFT & QUIET. SOFT & QUIET premiered at SXSW in 2022, was acquired by Blumhouse, and distributed by eOne. Her sophomore feature, JOSEPHINE, participated in the 2018 Sundance Directors Lab, and went on to win the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at The Sundance Film Festival in 2026. JOSEPHINE has been acquired by Sumerian Pictures and will have a wide theatrical release in the fall. more...
Katherine Street
Moderator | Digital Course & Event Producer
Katherine "Kat" Street is an LA-based award-winning filmmaker and Philadelphia native. A cinephile at heart, she writes female-driven stories with complex (oftentimes damaged) main characters, centered around self-discovery, self-love, and belonging. She has written numerous short-form projects, including original shorts, pilots, and features. She wrote and directed the dramatic short film “Cycles,” which received festival recognition in both acting and best romantic short. She also created her award-winning flagship web series "The New Adult,” which is currently streaming on Kweli TV. Kat is a Stowe Story Lab SAGIndie Fellow and a participant in the BlackMagic Collective Emerging Filmmakers Initiative. In 2021, she founded the Black Film Challenge, a project that showcases filmmakers of African descent and the movies they create. She earned her BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with a concentration in Cinematography and has literary representation with Yak Yak Mgmt. more...

Join the Discussion