The Sundance Institute has chosen its 16 screenwriters to participate in the 2o22 Screenwriters Lab.
Taking place January 15-18 online, writers were chosen from 3,200 applicants. With the help of advisors, some of whom have themselves participated in the Screenwriters Lab over the past few years, screenwriters will have the opportunity to further develop their screenplays.
The writers and their projects that have been chosen this year are Eliza McNitt (writer/director) with BLACK HOLE (WE); Olive Nwosu (writer/director) with A burial (Nigeria, UK); Dina Amer (co-writer/director) and Omar Mullick (co-writer) with Cain and Abel (France); Michael León (co-writer/director) and Ashley Alvarez (co-writer) with Crabs in a barrel (WE); Neo Sora (Writer/Director) with Earthquake (US, Japan); Yuan Yuan (writer/director) with late spring (US, China); Marja Bål Nango (co-writer/director) and Ingir Bål Nango (co-writer) with I love my Guođoheaddji / I love my reindeer herder (Norway, Sweden); Zandashé Brown (Writer/Director) with The Matriarch (WE); Hasan Hadi (writer/director) with The President’s Cake (Iraq, United States); Daniele Anastasion (Writer/Director) with the scout (UNITED STATES); Caledonia Curry (director) and Meagan Brothers (screenwriter) with Sibylating Sisters, Magic of the Silent Serpent (UNITED STATES); and David Miranda Hardy (writer/director) with The swimming lesson (WE).
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The lab will be led by Michelle Satter, Founding Director of Artist Programs at Sundance Institute, and Ilyse McKimmie, Deputy Director of the Feature Film Program, along with creative advisors including Artistic Director Scott Frank Karim Aïnouz, Linda Yvette Chavez, Carlos Cuaron, Phil Hay, Marielle Heller, Amanda Idoko, Jenny Lumet, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Doug McGrath, Walter Mosley, Jessie Nelson, Jose Rivera, Eric Roth, Dana Stevens, Veena Sud, Chris Terrio and Tyger Williams.
“One of the highlights for us each January is bringing together a new group of uniquely talented storytellers at our annual Screenwriters Lab. It’s especially exciting to meet again where our writing advisors and fellows will spend four days in our immersive online lab with intensive story meetings, craft workshops and creative conversations, as fellows begin their support cycle throughout the year,” Satter said. “These sixteen writers, selected for their vision and distinctive voices, will form a community of filmmakers for life, and we are excited to see the results of the collaboration between Lab Fellows and their mentors for years to come.”
This year, the Sundance Film Festival includes projects supported by the Feature Film Program (FFP) Lab, including Nanny, which premiered in the US Dramatic Competition; The cow that sang a song to the future, which premiered as part of the World Dramatic Competition, and Dos Estaciones, which also premiered at the World Dramatic Competition. The projections in the premieres section are God’s country and Honk for Jesus. Save your soul.
Past projects supported by the 40-year-old FFP Lab include that of Lulu Wang The farewell, Chloe Zhao’s Songs my brother taught me, by Marielle Heller Diary of a teenager, by Cary Fukunaga Sin Number, and Fernando Frias de la Parra I am no longer here.
Main image: Yuan Yuan, Sundance 2022 Screenwriters Lab attendee and writer/director of late spring