iW NEWS | Sundance Doc Program Announces Grants

Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program announced the 20 film projects awarded financial and creative support from the Sundance Documentary Fund. In a doubling of the numbers of projects submitted, nearly 800 filmmakers working in more than 70 countries submitted projects. The awardees include six first-time feature documentary filmmakers, complemented by national and international award winners. The Sundance Documentary Film Program supports U.S. and international documentary filmmakers "exploring the critical issues of our times in documentaries with cinematic potential." "The films funded in this round tell stories of perseverance and dignity in the face of our world's greatest contemporary challenges," said Cara Mertes, Director of the Sundance Documentary Film Program, in a statement. "From journalists and lawyers who take on international war criminals, to a small American town confronting its own homophobia, nonfiction storytellers are leading us down new paths as we search for common ground." For the full list of recipients, click here. [Peter Knegt]