The Sundance Institute officially announced the ten independent film and documentary producers selected for its 2026 Producers Labs, running across July at the Ucross Foundation in Wyoming. Spearheaded by Feature Film Program Producing and Artist Support Director Shira Rockowitz and Documentary Film Program and Artist Programs Director Kristin Feeley, the program offers project-specific development and yearlong industry mentorship to emerging storytellers.
The Bottom Line
- The Timeline: The 2026 fiction lab runs from July 13 to 18, immediately followed by the documentary lab from July 20 to 25 at the Ucross Foundation in Wyoming.
- The Roster: Ten emerging fellows were selected—five for feature fiction projects and five for nonfiction documentary features.
- The Stakes: Beyond the summer lab, participants enter a comprehensive yearlong fellowship focused on audience engagement, financing, and innovative distribution models.
Mapping Out the 2026 Producers Labs Cohort
For the third year, the isolated creative sanctuary of the Ucross Foundation serves as the backdrop for Sundance’s producer support initiative. Since 2008, the Producers Program has worked to champion the crucial work done by independent producers, offering a mixture of one-on-one meetings and strategic group sessions. Fellows tackle the realities of filmmaking, including pitching strategies, navigating the marketplace, and sustainability.
This year’s feature film fellows bring distinct narratives addressing contemporary anxieties. Jaelyn Ellis represents Likeness, a U.S. project following a Black San Francisco tech worker who hires a white actor to impersonate him after artificial intelligence replaces his job. Kara Grace Miller brings Make Me a Pizza, an adaptation of a viral short film about a hungry woman who unleashes a Pizza Goddess. Natalie Remplakowski champions Sweetwater, a rural Texas drama exploring the aftermath of an alleged assault at a ranch party. Marie Alyse Rodriguez showcases How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water, adapted from the acclaimed novel about a proud Dominican immigrant navigating a changing city. Finally, Sean Weiner presents The End of All Rivers, focusing on an injured Montana logger resorting to contract killing to cover his father’s medical bills.
On the nonfiction side, the documentary fellows tackle equally urgent global and domestic subjects. Chelsea Hernandez highlights The School of Hope, tracking a one-room school inside a migrant shelter near the U.S.-Mexico border. Vero Kompalic presents Yosi, following a queer undocumented poet embracing a reverse migration journey to Mexico. Hansen Lin showcases God Lives Here, examining ecological crisis and ancient traditions in an Indian village. Julia Pontecorvo brings Unfiltered (working title), a poetic exploration of a Brooklyn teenager balancing childhood with raising four younger sisters. Cherrelle Swain rounds out the cohort with Southmont Drive, an intimate look at Black land loss and family legacy across the American South following the loss of a grandfather’s home in Tuskegee, Alabama.
Industry Veterans Guide the Next Wave of Auteurs
Mentorship remains the cornerstone of the Sundance Institute’s strategy. Advisers for the 2026 Feature Film Producers Lab include Allison Rose Carter, producer of I Love Boosters; Deniese Davis of One of Them Days; Eugene Pikulin; Lucas Joaquin, who produced Death of a Unicorn; and Peter Saraf, known for The Farewell.
The Documentary Lab brings its own advisory roster, featuring Andrea Meditch (Grizzly Man), Gema Juárez Allen (The Castle), Rémi Grellety (Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat), Darcy McKinnon (Natchez), and Lance Kramer (Holding Liat). These industry leaders step in to help fellows navigate a dynamic landscape that necessitates curiosity, creativity, and grit.
| Lab Track | Location | Dates | Selected Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feature Film Producers Lab | Ucross Foundation, Wyoming | July 13–18, 2026 | Likeness, Make Me a Pizza, Sweetwater, How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water, The End of All Rivers |
| Documentary Producers Lab | Ucross Foundation, Wyoming | July 20–25, 2026 | The School of Hope, Yosi, God Lives Here, Unfiltered, Southmont Drive |
“This year’s projects reflect extraordinary depth of vision, originality, and storytelling ambition,” noted Documentary Film Program and Artist Programs Director Kristin Feeley and Feature Film Program Producing and Artist Support Director Shira Rockowitz in a joint statement. They emphasized that today’s landscape necessitates “curiosity, creativity, and grit” from modern producers.
Building Long-Term Sustainability Beyond the Wyoming Retreat
The conclusion of the July residency in Wyoming marks merely the beginning of a yearlong professional journey. Alum success stories underscore the program’s long-term industry impact. Past participants include Elijah Stevens, whose 2026 Sundance premiere Barbara Forever secured the Best Documentary Film Teddy Award at the 2026 Berlinale, and Dawne Langford, who won the Sundance Institute | Amazon MGM Studios Producers Award for Nonfiction at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
Through the yearlong fellowship—which includes Sundance Collab benefits and participation in the ELEVATE professional development track—these ten producers will spend the next twelve months transforming ambitious artistic visions into viable realities.
What are your thoughts on the shifting landscape for independent producers trying to break through studio noise? Let us know your perspective in the comments below.
