It's time to honor our long artistic legacy and celebrate Sundance Institute's bright future — and you're invited! On Friday, January 24, we'll joyfully gather together, during the Sundance Film Festival, to spotlight the incredible work of our alumni and our artist programs.

Celebrating Sundance Institute Presented by Google TV, co-chaired by Ebs Burnough and Pat Mitchell, will celebrate Michelle Satter, Sundance Institute's Founding Senior Director of Artist Programs, for her unparalleled commitment to nurturing and supporting artists through the Sundance Labs for the past four decades. Sundance Labs and Festival alum James Mangold, writer-director of A Complete Unknown, will be honored with the Trailblazer Award in recognition of his unwavering dedication and notable contributions to the field of cinema. Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award–winner and two-time Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo, currently starring as Elphaba in Universal Pictures' Wicked, will be honored with the Visionary Award in recognition of her uncompromising work and notable contributions to the entertainment industry.The annual Vanguard Awards Presented by Acura will be awarded to Sean Wang, writer-director of Dìdi (弟弟), and Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, co-directors of Sugarcane, who premiered their films at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

Your support, this evening and beyond, directly contributes to Sundance Institute's year-round work enabling artists to bring their stories to life. Through these ongoing grants, mentorships, and other critical resources, the work that Michelle has built and championed will continue for decades to come.

Since 1981, the nonprofit Sundance Institute, founded by Robert Redford, has been dedicated to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences. Through our programs, we seek to uplift, support, and inspire independent film and media artists from around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work. Be a part of the night's magic all while helping support the Institute's mission to cultivate the next generation of filmmakers.

We hope to see you at our gala, Celebrating Sundance Institute Presented by Google TV, at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, in Park City, Utah, starting at 6:30 p.m. MT with a cocktail reception. The dinner and program will begin at 8 p.m. MT.

Due to popular demand, Celebrating Sundance Institute Presented by Google TV is sold out. Sorry we missed you for the 2025 Festival gala. If you would like to make a donation to Sundance Institute, please use the button below. Contact benefitevent@sundance.org with any questions.

If you are unable to attend the event, please consider making a general contribution to Sundance Institute which directly supports independent artists through resources such as labs, grants, and fellowships. Please reach out to benefitevent@sundance.org with any questions.

Still deciding on lodging for your stay during the 2025 Festival? The venue for this gala, Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, is offering 15% off all bookings.