Sundance Institute Announces 2026 Directors and Screenwriters Labs Fellows
The Sundance Institute announced on June 9, 2026, the fellows selected for its 2026 Directors and Screenwriters Labs. The Directors Lab takes place June 9–24 at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, while the Screenwriters Lab runs online from June 29 to July 2, providing independent filmmakers with mentorship from established creative advisors.
How do the Sundance Institute labs operate?
The Directors Lab supports eight projects and fellows through hands-on experience. According to the Sundance Institute, participants rehearse, shoot, and edit scenes from original screenplays to refine their visual language and directing skills.
The Screenwriters Lab is conducted online and includes two additional projects and four fellows. Participants engage in individual story sessions and group workshops focused on the craft of screenwriting, the Institute reported.
Who are the 2026 fellows and their projects?
The selected fellows include Roberto Fatal, whose sci-fi project Electric Homies explores a digital utopia, and Taylor Sanghyun Lee, who is developing Rounds, a story about two Korean American families.
Other participants include Bec Pecaut (The Terrible Child), Joanna Rothkopf (Attachment), Philip Thompson (Dance Monkey Dance), George Watsky (yellowwood), Said Zagha (Black Harvest), and Renee Zhan (BAOBAO).
The Screenwriters Lab specifically includes Smriti Mundhra, Nikesh Shukla, and Himesh Patel for Brown Baby, as well as playwright Bess Wohl for Liberation.
Who is advising the 2026 cohort?
The Directors Lab is led by Artistic Director Gyula Gazdag. The advisor cohort includes Colman Domingo, Ava DuVernay, Christopher McQuarrie, Ed Harris, and Catherine Hardwicke, among others.
Artistic Director Howard Rodman leads the Screenwriters Lab advisors. This group includes John August, Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, and Attica Locke, according to the Institute.
Overall leadership for both labs is provided by Michelle Satter, Founding Senior Director of Artist Programs, and Ilyse McKimmie, Deputy Director of the Feature Film Program.
Why does the Sundance Institute lab selection matter?
The labs serve as a pipeline for filmmakers who later achieve major industry recognition. The Sundance Institute notes that early career work for Academy and Golden Globe winners Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryan Coogler, Guillermo del Toro, and Chloé Zhao was cultivated in these labs.
Past participants also include Quentin Tarantino, Taika Waititi, and the directors known as The Daniels. Michelle Satter stated that the labs create a space where storytellers build lasting relationships and sharpen their vision.
What happens next for these filmmakers?
Fellows may use the guidance from advisors to strengthen their projects for future production. The process of shooting and editing scenes in Colorado could lead to a more defined creative vision for the Directors Lab participants.
Following the online Screenwriters Lab, the selected writers are likely to implement feedback from their individual story sessions to finalize their scripts. These projects may eventually move toward funding or festival submissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the 2026 Directors Lab located?
It takes place at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.
Which projects are exclusively in the Screenwriters Lab?
Brown Baby and Liberation are listed as Screenwriters Lab only.
Who are some of the notable past alumni of the labs?
Alumni include Darren Aronofsky, Ryan Coogler, and Quentin Tarantino.
Which of the announced project premises sounds most intriguing to you?