Sundance’s Sandbox Fund to support 15 exciting film projects

Photo: 2024 Sundance Institute Sandbox Fund Assets

PARK CITY, Utah — On Oct. 29, the nonprofit Sundance Institute and Sandbox Films announced 15 projects and teams, who will be receiving support through the Sundance Institute | Sandbox Fund, which now grants $500,000 annually. The fund provides grants to projects in any stage from development to post-production, providing filmmakers with opportunities to explore the link between science and culture through nonfiction storytelling.

Projects range from animal adaptations to climate change to human mortality

Themes this year include animal adaptations to climate change, the impact of trauma on the human brain, environmental impacts of artificial intelligence and cloud computing, scientific ethics, biological death and human mortality, the future of African space and scientific programs, and reexaminations of human interventions in water management systems.

The projects have roots in 12 countries: Canada, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Germany, North Macedonia, Mexico, Peru, Spain, U.K., and the U.S.A., with 80% of projects directed by artists from communities that have been traditionally marginalized. One of the projects is even centered in Utah.

Get ready for groundbreaking nonfiction work to follow in the footsteps of Nocturnes, Fire of Love and All Light, Everywhere

“Going into the seventh year of this beautiful collaboration with Sandbox Films, it is clear to us in the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program that there is no shortage of groundbreaking nonfiction work being developed and made around scientific topics on a global scale — it is very exciting to be able to support that production demand in an expanded way thanks to increased funding,” said Paola Mottura, Director of Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Fund. “We thank our filmmakers for entrusting us with their work, and we thank Sandbox for being great collaborators and for deepening their investment in this work as we seek to empower these storytellers via financial and creative resources.”

“We have been truly impressed by the caliber of projects this initiative has enabled us to support. One of our key objectives at Sandbox is to promote greater diversity within science documentaries, and through this fund, we’ve connected with artists who are exploring scientific topics in extraordinarily innovative ways.” said Jessica Harrop, Executive Director of Sandbox Films.

The latest Sundance Institute | Sandbox Fund grantees, presented by production stage:

DEVELOPMENT

Artificial Clouds (Chile), Director: Josefina Buschmann Mardones, Producer: Daniela Camino Valdivia

Ever and the Sharks (Peru, Spain), Director: Lucía Flórez, Producers: Chémi Pérez, Joel Cazorla, Sofia Tapia

In Praise of Invasive Species (Canada), Director: Mila Aung-Thwin, Producer: Bob Moore

My Friend the Bear (U.S.A.), Producer-Director: Drew Xanthopoulos, Producer: Bennett Elliott

Sing at My Wake (U.S.A.), Producer-Director: Jonathan Pickett, Producers: Josh Polon, Sarah Stewart

Spaceman in Kongo (Democratic Republic of the Congo, U.K., Germany, U.S.A.), Producer-Director: Maisha Maene, Producers: Leo Nelki, Josune Hahnheiser, Dale Dobson

The Vortex of Extinction (North Macedonia, U.S.A.), Director: Ljubomir Stefanov, Producer: Maya E. Rudolph

Valley of the Night (working title) (U.S.A.), Producer-Director: Lynne Siefert

PRODUCTION

Badlands (U.S.A.), Producer-Directors: Hannah Jayanti, Alexander Porter Producer: Keith Wilson

Captions Will be Needed (U.S.A., Mexico), Producer-Director: Natalia Almada, Producers: Josh Penn, Esther Robinson

Only on Earth (Denmark, Spain), Director: Robin Petré, Producers: Signe Skov Thomsen, Malene Flindt Pedersen

Providencia (Colombia), Director: Juliana Schatz Preston, Producers: Guillermo Zouain, Wendy Muñiz, Tanja Tawadjoh

Terminal (U.S.A.), Director: Abby Ellis, Producer: Fletcher Keyes

The River (U.S.A.), Producer-Director: Caitlyn Greene, Producers: Sara Archambault, Claire Haley

Untitled PMSR Film (U.S.A.), Director: Tracy Jarrett, Producer: Emma Moley