Park City Day School first grade class, with Teachers Natalija Djunic and Gaby Gibbs. Photo: courtesy Park City Day School

PARK CITY, Utah — To celebrate the Sundance Film Festival festivities, Park City Day School students participated in their own annual, kid-friendly “Fundance Film Festival.”

Now in its ninth year, Fundance brings students together to watch a curated series of animated shorts, all connected by a common theme. This year’s theme was perseverance, and students voted on their favorite of four short animated films to determine the “Best Film” of the event.

Students wore fabulous Fundance costumes to the screening, with a nod to the Sundance style and Hollywood glamour. After the screenings, students voted for their favorite film.

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Teachers and Fundance co-chairs Hye Soo Dixon and Robin Moses selected the films, which aligned with the perseverance theme. This year’s entries included “Why Put All Our Eggs in One Basket?” a film by Park City Day School graduate John McGinn. The other three films screened were “Boom,” “Outdoors,” and “One Small Step,” all of which are acclaimed shorts available on YouTube.

“Students learn that believing in themselves and not giving up helps them discover new strengths and reach goals they once thought were out of reach,” said Moses

This year’s winner by 90 votes was “Boom,” a story that follows a group of flightless birds inhabiting a remote island as it faces a volcanic eruption. With too many eggs to save, two birds encounter various challenges and make difficult decisions on their journey to safety.

“Film helps students see different perspectives, develop empathy, and make meaningful connections,” said Dixon. “Fundance brings our community together from preschool through eighth grade, creating a shared experience that invites reflection and conversation. Through these stories, students learned that perseverance is not only about individual effort, but about growing alongside and learning from one another.”