Columbia University School of the Arts Film Program alum Chloe Sarbib ’20 has been selected as a fellow for the prestigious Sundance Directors Lab, which will take place June 1–16, 2025, in Estes Park, Colorado. The selection follows her participation in the Sundance Screenwriters Lab held this past January, where she was one of only 11 fellows chosen from over 3,380 submissions alongside Adjunct Assistant Professor Katla Sólnes ’24.
At the Directors Lab, Sarbib will continue developing her project Trou Normand. It tells the story of an aging actress who becomes convinced that a lost Vichy-era heirloom is the magical solution to all her problems as her family prepares to leave their Normandy home. The search, however, "may dig up more than she bargained for," according to the project description.
At the lab, now in its 45th year, fellows gain hands-on experience rehearsing, shooting, and editing scenes from their original screenplays under the guidance of experienced advisors. Led by Artistic Director Gyula Gazdag, the advisor cohort includes acclaimed filmmakers such as Joan Darling, Rick Famuyiwa, Jomo Fray, Keith Gordon, Catherine Hardwicke, Ed Harris, Nicole Holofcener ’88, and Karyn Kusama.
Following the Directors Lab, Sarbib will participate in the online Screenwriters Lab from June 24–27, 2025, where she'll further develop her script through individual and group sessions with advisors led by Howard Rodman.
Sarbib, who is currently an Assistant Professor in the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University, is an American and French Algerian filmmaker known for her work directing on The CW/Netflix series In the Dark. Her short films have been supported by Tribeca and the DGA Student Film Awards, and have screened at major festivals.
