FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Media Contact: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ December 13, 2017 Spencer Alcorn ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 310.360.1981 [email protected] 2018 Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab Fellows Announced: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Diverse Group of Writers, Advisors Convene to Develop Timely Projects ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Bold Innovation and Risk-Taking Encouraged at Immersive Lab, Part of Ongoing Creative ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Support; Twelve Alumni Projects to Premiere at 2018 Sundance Film Festival ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Los Angeles, CA - Sixteen emerging screenwriters will come together at Sundance Institute’s 2018 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Screenwriters Lab, an immersive five-day writers’ workshop announced today and taking place at the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Sundance Resort in Utah, January 12-17, 2018. The Lab brings independent screenwriters together with ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ accomplished writers, in an environment that encourages the art and craft of writing and creative ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ risk-taking. Through one-on-one story sessions with Creative Advisors, Fellows work intensively on their ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ feature film scripts and engage in an artistically rigorous process that offers them indispensable lessons in ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ craft. The Lab is the first step in a year-round continuum of customized creative and tactical support for ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ each project and team. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The January Screenwriters Lab has been created and organized under the leadership of Sundance ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Institute's Feature Film Program Founding Director Michelle Satter and Labs Director Ilyse McKimmie. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ The team of Creative Advisors includes Artistic Director Scott Frank, Andrea Berloff, D.V. DeVincentis, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ Naomi Foner, Richard LaGravenese, Kasi Lemmons, Jenny Lumet, Ole Christian Madsen, Walter ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ Mosley, Jessie Nelson, Nicole Perlman, Howard Rodman, Michael Showalter, Zach Sklar, Joan ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ Tewkesbury, Bill Wheeler and Tyger Williams. ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ “We're excited to bring together this remarkable group of emerging artists with distinctive voices and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ dynamic stories,” said Satter. “Strong female characters challenging traditional narratives, issues of ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ migration and disenfranchisement, and the shared human desire for connection and family are several of ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the timely themes explored in these scripts. We're thrilled to begin our relationship with these storytellers, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and look forward to supporting them throughout the lifecycle of their projects.” ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Twelve films supported by the Feature Film Program will premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. In ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ U.S. Dramatic Competition, those films include American Animals, written and directed by Bart Layton; ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Blindspotting, co-written by Rafael Casal & Daveed Diggs and directed by Carlos López Estrada; I Think ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ We’re Alone Now, written by Mike Makowsky and directed by Reed Morano; Monsters and Men, written ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ and directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green; Nancy, written and directed by Christina Choe; and Sorry to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ Bother You, written and directed by Boots Riley. In World Cinema Dramatic Competition, those films ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ include Butterflies, written and directed by Tolga Karaҫelik, and Un Traductor, written by Lindsay Gossling ​ ​​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and co-directed by Rodrigo and Sebastián Barriuso. Other FFP-supported films include Night Comes On, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ co-written by Angelica Nwandu and Jordana Spiro and directed by Jordana Spiro; Skate Kitchen, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ co-written by Crystal Moselle and Aslihan Unaldi and directed by Crystal Moselle; and We the Animals, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ co-written by Daniel Kitrosser and Jeremiah Zagar and directed by Jeremiah Zagar, all of which will ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ premiere in NEXT. Additionally, What They Had, written and directed by Elizabeth Chomko, will screen in ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the Premieres section of the Festival. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The projects and fellows selected for the 2018 January Screenwriters Lab are: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Afrika (Bulgaria) / Maya Vitkova (writer/director): Afrika weaves together the stories of a family over ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the course of one year, a fantastical journey of love and loss, across three generations. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Maya Vitkova is a director, screenwriter, and producer, whose debut film, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Viktoria, was the first Bulgarian feature in competition at the Sundance Film ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Festival. The film played at more than 70 international festivals, including ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Rotterdam, Karlovy Vary, Busan, AFI Fest and BFI London, and received ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ praise from the Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire, Vogue Magazine and other ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ publications. The New Yorker listed it at number 4 of the best films of 2016, ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and named Maya Vitkova one of the five best directors in the world. Vitkova ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ was chosen as a European Film Promotion’s “Producer on the Move” in ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Cannes and is an EAVE 2017 graduate. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Broadway (Greece) / Christos Massalas (writer/director): A band of young street performers and ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ pickpockets find an unlikely home in an abandoned mall in Athens. The balance of their makeshift ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ family is threatened when a former member of their group returns after being released from prison. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Born in Greece, Christos Massalas is a graduate of the London Film School. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ His short films have received awards from around the world and have ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ screened at international film festivals including Cannes, Locarno, AFI Fest, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Guanajuato, BFI, and Nouveau Cinéma, among others. His latest short film ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Copa-Loca is nominated for the European Film Academy Award. Broadway ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ will be his feature directorial debut. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Doha (U.S.A. / Morocco) / Eimi Imanishi (writer/director): Disheartened by her deportation from ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Europe, Mariam is forced to return home to Western Sahara. Adrift in the very place that’s supposed to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ be her home, she searches for the means to assert agency over her own life. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Eimi Imanishi is a Japanese American filmmaker. She earned her BFA at ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the Slade School of Art, University College London where she majored in ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ sculpture. She has directed two award-winning short films, Battalion to My ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Beat and One Up, that have played at numerous festivals including the ​ ​​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Toronto International Film Festival and Clermont Ferrand. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The Huntress (U.S.A. / Mexico) / Suzanne Andrews Correa (writer/director): In Juarez, Mexico, ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ where violence against women goes unnoticed and unpunished, an unlikely heroine emerges to seek ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ justice. This project is the recipient of the Feature Film Program Latina Fellowship. ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Suzanne Andrews Correa is a Mexican American director and screenwriter ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ based in New York City. A recent MFA graduate of the Film Program at ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Columbia University, she has worked in the industry for almost a decade as ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​