Sundance Institute's Story Forum: Exploring Art and Innovation is a space to learn, collaborate, and join the conversation; inviting thoughtful dialogue about the artist-first tools and technologies supporting visual storytelling today.


Sara Bernstein, President of Imagine Documentaries, hosts a conversation about the big question facing docs right now: Where's it all going? Bernstein has produced many Sundance-premiered documentaries, including Rebuilding Paradise, Downfall: The Case Against Boeing, Frida, and most recently, the Grammy-nominated Music By John Williams and Emmy-winning Jim Henson: Idea Man. Joined by esteemed industry panelists, Bernstein leads a straight-talk chat about what’s actually happening in the documentary business today. What are buyers really looking for? How do bold creative ideas and commercial goals meet? And what new paths are filmmakers taking to get projects financed, sold, and in front of audiences? Expect honest insights, market reality, and a look at what’s next. 


Panelists for this session will include Academy-Award nominated directors Geeta Gandbhir (The Perfect Neighbor), Ryan White (Come See Me in the Good Light), and R. J. Cutler (The War Room), as well as WME Senior Partner Maggie Pisacane. 


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Geeta Gandbhir
Director, THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR
Geeta Gandbhir is an award-winning filmmaker and co-founder of Message Pictures. Recent credits include the Oscar-nominated documentary “The Perfect Neighbor” which won the Directing Award for the US Documentary Competition and was bought by Netflix, the series “Katrina: Come Hell and High Water” which premiered at #1 on Netflix, Oscar-nominated short "The Devil is Busy" for HBO, "Reclaimed" for Sesame Workshop, the Oscar Shortlisted film “How We Get Free” for HBO, the series "Born in Synanon" for Paramount, the series "Eyes on the Prize" for HBO, the feature doc "Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power," which was nominated for the 2022 Critics Choice Award, won a 2023 SIMA Award, and won a 2023 Emmy Award. She directed and show ran the series "Black and Missing" for HBO which won a 2022 NAACP Award for Best Directing, a 2022 Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Series, a 2022 ATAS Honors Award, and a Cinema Eye Honors for Best Series. She directed the film "Apart," with Rudy Valdez for HBO Max, and won a 2022 Emmy Award. more...
Ryan White
Director, COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT
Ryan White is the director of COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT (Apple TV), which follows poet Andrea Gibson and their partner Megan Falley as they navigate an incurable cancer diagnosis with remarkable perspective and joy. The film won the Festival Favorite Award at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Previously, White directed INTO THE FIRE (Netflix), PAMELA, A LOVE STORY (Netflix), ASK DR. RUTH (Hulu), and GOOD NIGHT OPPY (Amazon), which won two Emmys and five Critics Choice Awards. White is also the director of VISIBLE: OUT ON TELEVISION, THE CASE AGAINST 8, SERENA, and THE KEEPERS. White’s projects have been Oscar-shortlisted and won multiple Emmys. more...
R. J. Cutler
Director, THE WAR ROOM
R.J. Cutler is an award-winning filmmaker whose has directed such films as MARTHA, ELTON JOHN: NEVER TOO LATE, BILLIE EILISH: THE WORLD’S A LITTLE BLURRY, BELUSHI, THE WORLD ACCORDING TO DICK CHENEY, THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE, and A PERFECT CANDIDATE. He has produced such films as THE WAR ROOM, THIN, LISTEN TO ME MARLON, and THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SHERE HITE. For television, Cutler has directed and/or Executive Produced such programs as BIG VAPE: THE RISE AND FALL OF JUUL, ELTON JOHN LIVE, MURF THE SURF, DEAR…, NASHVILLE, 30 DAYS, FRESHMAN DIARIES, and AMERICAN HIGH. more...
Maggie Pisacane
Senior Partner, WME
Maggie Pisacane is a Senior Partner at WME in the agency’s Non-Scripted department and runs its Documentary Group. In her role, she represents renowned filmmakers as well as prolific production companies in the nonfiction space. more...
Sara Bernstein
President, Imagine Documentaries
Sara Bernstein is an award winning producer, leading the development and production of premium documentary feature films and series for Imagine Documentaries. Recent credits include the 5-time Emmy Award-winning JIM HENSON IDEA MAN, Critics’ Choice Award-winning and Grammy nominated MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS, Emmy-nominated JUDY BLUME FOREVER and WE FEED PEOPLE, Emmy winning FRIDA, BARBARA WALTERS: TELL ME EVERYTHING, THE SUPER MODELS, EARNHARDT and DOWNFALL: THE CASE AGAINST BOEING. more...
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