Sundance Insider Sessions provide behind-the-scenes information and guidance on our Labs, grants, and festivals. Sundance Institute staff will be on-hand to answer frequently asked questions and help guide you through discovering and applying to the many programs and funds that the Institute offers.


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 career. The yearlong Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellowship is open to emerging documentary and fiction filmmakers between ages 18 and 25. Join us for a direct Q&A with the Ignite program team and previous Ignite Alum, Samina Saifee (2024 Cohort), who will give you tips on how to make your work stand out. The deadline to submit your project is February 12, 2026 at 11 a.m. PT.


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

Samina Saifee
Alum, 2024 Ignite Program
Samina is a filmmaker based in Brooklyn and LA. She is a graduate of New York University's Stern-Tisch Dual Degree Program where she studied film and business. She is a 2024 Sundance Building Bridges Fellow, a 2024 Sundance Ignite Fellow, and an Orchard Project Episodic Lab Fellow. Her first short, Amerigirl, is on NoBudge. Her second short, Ayat, starring Laith Nakli (Hulu's RAMY, A24's PROBLEMISTA), is currently in the festival circuit. Her debut feature film is in development and has been selected for the Film Independent Producing Lab. more...
Kat Schulze
Manager, Sundance Institute Ignite
Kat Schulze is a Los Angeles-based non-profit arts professional with a strong background in film and organizational management. Since 2019, Kat has worked for the Sundance Institute, initially contributing to the Documentary Film Program and currently supporting the Ignite Program, which fosters emerging filmmakers through the Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellowship. Kat lends their curatorial skills to various film funds, including the International Documentary Association, and offers creative consultation to independent filmmakers. Before Sundance, Kat was the manager of a San Francisco event space, Manny’s, where they oversaw the gatherings of influential figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris. Kat enjoys weekly trivia, a monthly dinner club, and frequent visits to the cinema. more...
Toby Brooks
Assistant Director, Sundance Institute Ignite
Toby Brooks is the Assistant Director of the Sundance Institute Ignite Program, which cultivates and supports a new generation of filmmakers. Brooks has worked for Sundance Institute since 2012, first as the Assistant to the Director of the Sundance Film Festival. From 2012-2017, Brooks was a member of the Emerging Leaders Council at Outfest, a Los Angeles film non-profit that promotes LGBT equality by creating, sharing and protecting LGBT stories on the screen. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, he received his B.A. from UCLA. more...
Katherine Street
Moderator | Digital Course & Event Producer, Sundance Collab
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. more...
Tags:Sundance Institute Artist Programs

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