28 Films Premiere at 2018 Sundance Film Festival

The 2018 Sundance Film Festival will premiere 27 films and one immersive AI project that represent the work of Columbia University filmmakers across writing, directing, and producing, and many other positions, including Editor, Script Supervisor, Co-producer, Unit Production Manager, Casting Director, Post Production Supervisor, Casting Director, and Executive Producer.  

In addition to films this year, faculty members Lance Weiler and Nick Fortugno are Lead Artists on an immersive experience in the New Frontier section of the festival, Frankenstein AI. According to the synopsis, Frankenstein AI: A Monster Made by Many: "By challenging dystopian perspectives around Artificial Intelligence, this immersive experience reimagines Shelley's seminal work to examine the cultural ramifications of pervasive, ubiquitous technology. Participants interact with an artificial intelligence, co-creating a shared narrative around the implications of unleashing this naive, intelligent "monster," both mythical and imminent, into the world."

The Sundance Film Festival is the premiere film festival in the United States—it consistently features work from Columbia alumni. Previous alumni who’ve shown work at the festival include Kimberly Pierce ‘96 and James Ponsoldt ‘05. The Festival hosts screenings in Park City, Salt Lake City and at Sundance Mountain Resort, from January 18–28, 2018.

This year, there are 12 films with Columbia filmmakers playing a key role:

Nancy, written and directed by Christina Choe '12 , edited by David Gutnik '12

And Breathe Normally, written and directed by Isold Uggadottir '11

Night Comes On, written and directed by Jordana Spiro '15 and produced by Alvaro Valente '14

Shirkers, written, directed by Sandi Tan '00 and produced by Sandi Tan '00 and Jessica Levin '02

The Last Race, photography directed and produced by Gregory Kershaw '11  

Juliet, Naked, produced by Albert Berger '83

What They Had, produced by Albert Berger '83  

Wild Wild Country, produced by Juliana Lembi '17

BISBEE '17, produced by Douglas Tirola ‘92

The Price of Everything, produced by Katharina Otto-Bernstein ‘92

FULL LIST

A Kid Like Jake
Veronica Nickel '10 – Co-Producer
Andrew Hauser '12, Faculty – Post Supervisor
Julie Buck '11 – Unit Production Manager

American Animals
Julie Buck '11 – Unit Production Manager
Mary Jane Skalski, Faculty – Producer

And Breathe Normally
Isold Uggadottir '11 – Director and screenwriter

Beirut
Andrew Hafitz, Adjunct — Editor

BISBEE '17
Douglas Tirola '92 — Producer

Blindspotting
Geoff Quan '08 – Co-Producer

Blaze
Bogdan George Apetri '06, Faculty – Co-Producer

Come Sunday
Andrew Hauser '12 Faculty – Post Supervisor

Eighth Grade
Claire Fowler '11 – Add'l Script Supervisor

Frankenstein AI
Lance Weiler, Faculty – Lead Artist
Nick Fortugno, Faculty – Lead Artist

Garfield
Alies Sluiter, Current student – Composer

Jane Fonda in Five Acts
Benjamin Gray '07 – Editor

Juliet, Naked
Albert Berger '83 – Producer

Kailash
Sola Fasehun '15 – Sales & Distribution consultant

King in the Wilderness
Trey Ellis, Faculty – Executive Producer

Madeline’s Madeline
Mayuran Tiruchelvam '13, Faculty – Unit Production Manager, Production Supervisor
Elliot Zarrabi, Current student – Production Supervisor

Nancy
Christina Choe '12 – Director and screenwriter
David Gutnik '12 — Editor

Night Comes On
Jordana Spiro '15 – Screenwriter, Director
Alvaro Valente '14 – Producer

Puzzle
Joshua Cohen '15, Adjunct Professor in Writing – Associate Producer
Rob Cristiano '13 – Assistant Location Manager

Shirkers
Sandi Tan '00 – Writer/Director/Producer
Maya Rudolph, Barnard – Producer
Jessica Levin '02, Faculty – Producer

Skate Kitchen
Claire Fowler '11 – Script Sup, Add'l

The Last Race
Gregory Kershaw '11 – Producer and Director of Photography

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Jessica Daniels Schwarz '07 – Casting Director
Markus Kirschner '09 – Production Designer
Andrew Hauser '12, Faculty – Post Supervisor
Rob Cristiano '13 – Co-producer

The Price of Everything
Katharina Otto-Bernstein ‘92 — Producer

The Tale
Reka Posta '14 – Co-Producer

Tyrel
Jessica Daniels Schwarz '07 – Casting Director

What They Had       
Albert Berger '83 – Producer

Wild Wild Country
Juliana Lembi '17 – Producer

White Fang
Joshua Cohen '15, Adjunct Professor in Writing – Associate Producer, Executive Producer