In this hour-long online conversation for filmmakers and film lovers, we’ll dive deep into Chloé Zhao’s process bringing the poignant and heartbreaking story of HAMNET to the screen. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the most thoughtful and empathetic filmmakers working today!

In this session, you will hear from Institute members, advisors, and alumni who will reflect on where it all started. Don’t miss this chance to hear from some of the key figures from the Sundance Institute for a deeper understanding of Redford as our guiding light for the future of filmmaking.

In this session, you will hear from Institute members, advisors, and alumni who will reflect on where it all started. Don’t miss this chance to hear from some of the key figures from the Sundance Institute for a deeper understanding of Redford as our guiding light for the future of filmmaking.

In this hour-long online conversation for filmmakers and film lovers, we’ll dive deep into Chloé Zhao’s process bringing the poignant and heartbreaking story of HAMNET to the screen. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the most thoughtful and empathetic filmmakers working today!

Trailblazing independent filmmaker Gary Hustwit joins Story Forum for a conversation on art, innovation, and experimentation in the age of AI. Hustwit directed Eno, a 2024 documentary that employed generative technology to create a unique cut of the film for each screening. The film premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, went on to receive six nominations from Cinema Eye Honors, and was shortlisted for an Academy Award. In this moderated conversation, Hustwit discusses how he conceptualized and created the film, the challenges of incorporating bespoke tech into his filmmaking practice, and his predictions on the future intersections of film and technology.

We are drowning in Content but starving for the communal experience of Story. How can filmmakers capitalize on this new wave of Vertical Storytelling to give audiences the opportunity to consume serotonin-rich narrative Story over the quick dopamine rush that Content currently provides? This panel discussion explores these questions from the perspective of the creator and provides insights into how to bridge the gap between content creation and storytelling in the social media landscape.

Sundance Film Festival alum and honoree Alex Rivera (Sleep Dealer, The Infiltrators) joins Story Forum to explore the critical debates surrounding AI and filmmaking. In this session, Rivera delivers a presentation on how thoughtful, socially-engaged filmmakers can approach this moment in which AI has become ubiquitous in modern life. Rivera speaks about the history and various debates surrounding AI, explores creative workflows, and discusses whether this technology can open up new possibilities in our creative practice.

Join us for a deep dive into the actor/director relationship, the lessons learned from decades on set, and their take on the future of independent cinema. Discover how a shared artistic language can push the boundaries of genre, and what it truly means to grow alongside your closest collaborators.

Led by Alton Glass, founder of GRX Immersive Labs, this session illustrates how filmmakers can become world builders using case studies from Glass’ own work. You’ll learn how to translate your unique voice across new tools and platforms and gain a greater understanding of how creators can successfully use virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality with intention to empower others. Drawing from his own career, which spans film XR, AI and immersive education, Glass unpacks how creators can navigate rapid technological change without losing their creative identity.

In the second of two Story Forum sessions on the film, Veatch presents a deep-dive into the making of her documentary as well as the technology’s implications with regards to international labor issues. During this session, Veatch leads a panel discussion with four participants from the documentary: Richard Mathenge, Mophat Okiny, Krystal Kauffman, and Dr. Milagros Miceli. This conversation offers insight into finding and shaping your story with your documentary participants, and proves essential for those interested in the systems surrounding the development of AI.

Emmy-nominated filmmaker Eliza McNitt unpacks the creation of ANCESTRA, her 2025 short film made in collaboration with Google’s DeepMind team. McNitt and collaborator Ben Wiley, Creative Director at the Google Creative Lab, discuss how the pair blended live action performances with generative AI visuals to tell a deeply personal story. The film, executive produced by Darren Aronofsky, premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival. A Sundance Film Festival alum, McNitt has described the project as the story of how “a mother’s love becomes a cosmic force in order to save her daughter’s life.”

In the first of two Story Forum sessions on the film, Veatch presents a deep-dive into the making of her documentary as well as the technology’s implications with regards to racial discrimination and climate devastation. During this session, Veatch leads two panel discussions with five participants from the documentary: Thema Monroe-White, Tiera Tanksley, Johnathan Flowers, Alli Finn, and Alix Dunn. These conversations offer insight into finding and shaping your story with your documentary participants, and prove essential for those interested in the systems surrounding the development of AI.

Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at how generative tools can support independent artists in making their films. Go inside the process as the team behind the short film MythOS breaks down how they leveraged generative technologies, organized their workflows, and tackled key challenges. This session highlights the steps and decisions that shaped their film, showing what collaboration looks like when incorporating AI tools, and how AI can enhance an artist’s creativity and streamline the path to a finished film.

Award-winning creatives Yelena Rachitsky (Head of Emerging Formats, Meta) and Eliza McNitt (Director, ANCESTRA, SPHERES) deconstruct their ground-breaking projects and examine how emerging technologies are reshaping cinematic language. Explore the evolution from VR to AI — and why human authorship remains at the center of storytelling.

A practical, behind-the-scenes look at how generative tools can support the artists making their films. Go inside the process as the filmmakers break down how they organized their workflows and tackled key challenges. This session highlights the steps and decisions that shaped the shorts, showing how AI can enhance an artist’s creativity and streamline the path to a finished film.

Filmmakers behind two 2026 Sundance Film Festival documentaries about artificial intelligence – Valerie Veatch (Ghost in the Machine) and Daniel Kwan (The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist) – examine the evolving technological landscape in this session that unpacks the intricate history and potential futures of AI in society.

In this Advisor Studio, veteran Casting Director Richard Hicks will guide you through the full casting process, from breaking down scripts and developing character briefs to crafting a strategy for outreach, auditions, and offers. You will gain insight into how Casting Directors interpret a filmmaker’s vision, present creative options, and balance artistic goals with understanding actor market value, budget, and scheduling realities.

In this hour-long conversation for filmmakers of all levels, you’ll get a chance to ask questions about producing and directing some of Hollywood’s biggest films. Joseph Kosinski will discuss crafting memorable heroes, bringing his unique take to existing IP, and directing thrilling action sequences.