Spotlight Events feature conversations with high-profile film and television industry professionals who share helpful advice and insights on their career experiences and creative processes.


When Will Ferrell finds out his close friend and collaborator of 30 years is coming out as a trans woman, the two decide to embark on a cross-country road trip to process this new stage of their relationship. Filmmaker Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Strays, The Short Game, Becoming Bond), captures it all in an intimate documentary portrait of friendship and transition, Will & Harper. The film premiered to multiple standing ovations at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by Netflix.


“Layers of friendship are laid bare as Harper reenters once-safe spaces as her authentic self, reintroducing the eccentric yet earnest Will to the woman he’s always known. Their levity is reinforced and challenged: Harper embraces her newfound identity amid adversity, as Will is invited to stand by her, negotiating his celebrity in the process. What emerges is an exploration of both silliness and strife, a sincere facet of the trans experience audiences rarely witness, and an affirmation of the unbreakable bonds of friendship.” - Cameron Asharian, Sundance Film Festival


In this Spotlight Event, Will Ferrell, Harper Steele and Josh Greenbaum will discuss their collaboration, the challenges of making a road documentary, the importance of participant safety, and finding the laughs across genres.

Josh Greenbaum
Director/Producer
Josh Greenbaum is a filmmaker in both documentary and narrative film. His narrative debut BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, starring Kristen Wiig, was nominated for a Critics Choice Award, and he recently directed the hit comedy STRAYS, starring Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx. His documentary films include THE SHORT GAME, BECOMING BOND, and TOO FUNNY TO FAIL. more...
Erica Elson
Moderator | Digital Course & Event Producer
Erica Elson is a Producer, Writer and Educator based in the mountains outside Los Angeles. Her short film, WING NIGHT, premiered at Method Fest in Los Angeles. She is the co-author of the book THE AWKWARD HUMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE and co-hosted a podcast by the same name on the 5by5 network for five years. Elson's articles have been published by HuffPost, Lifehacker, and Reader's Digest. Prior to working in education, she worked in television development and writers’ rooms such as VH1’s HINDSIGHT, where she had the chance to write for the spinoff web series PLANET SEBASTIAN. Elson joined the Sundance Collab team in October 2021 and produces courses, Master Classes, and events in the areas of screenwriting, television writing, directing, producing, and documentary filmmaking. She has moderated conversations with Sofia Coppola, Richard Linklater, Alexander Payne, and Susannah Grant, among others. Prior to Sundance, Elson was the Thesis Production Supervisor at the American Film Institute for five years. She oversaw several award-winning graduate thesis films, notably the 2021 BAFTA student film winner APART, TOGETHER and the 2023 Sundance Film Festival short WE WERE MEANT TO. While at AFI, Elson developed a passion for sustainable production and created the Green Film School Alliance, which includes forty schools on four continents. She holds a BA in Communication and Film Studies from Concordia University and an MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute. more...
Tags:Equity & InclusionActivism & Social Impact Comedy, Sci-Fi & Horror

Join the Discussion