Each January, the Sundance Film Festival becomes the epicenter of independent film. This year, MPI returned as an official Sundance Institute partner—not just to attend, but to create meaningful opportunities for MPI filmmakers on one of the world’s most influential creative stages.

MPI brought 25 filmmakers to Park City and hosted its third annual Advanced Filmmaker Summit, convening creatives for curated screenings, focused conversations, and intentional networking throughout the week. The summit provided a dedicated space for filmmakers to exchange ideas, strengthen projects, and build lasting professional relationships during one of the most important gatherings in independent film.

Participants in MPI’s inaugural First Feature Lab cohort joined the week’s programming and took part in one-on-one treatment reviews with MPI’s creative development team. These sessions offered focused, individualized feedback designed to sharpen story structure and clarify each filmmaker’s vision as they prepare to move into feature-length production. 

Sundance also marked the in-person kickoff of the second year of the MPI Mentorship Program, bringing mentors and mentees together. The program pairs rising filmmakers with experienced industry professionals for sustained guidance throughout the year.

As a partner of Sundance, MPI hosted a standing-room-only panel centered on the MPI Original short The Art of Inflation, developed through MPI’s Short Film Lab and produced in the Production Lab . Set during Venezuela’s hyperinflation crisis, the film follows two brothers trapped on a militia-run coca farm as they quietly plan their escape—until a risky decision threatens everything.

The panel featured writer-directors Brett Wietecha and Tim Hedberg, economist and filmmaker Gabriel Calzada, and MPI senior vice president Lana Link. The conversation explored how film can translate complex economic realities into tangible human stakes. Calzada noted that in under 25 minutes, the film communicates ideas he typically teaches over an entire semester. It accomplishes all this while remaining compelling and emotionally resonant.

For MPI filmmakers, Sundance was more than a week of screenings. It was a chance to strengthen projects, deepen relationships, and build momentum for the work ahead.

A First Feature Lab participant and an MPI filmmaker, Tanner Mobley, emphasized the impact of the experience, sharing, “Being at Sundance with MPI was deeply inspiring—both for the chance to connect with like-minded filmmakers and to strengthen relationships within the community. I left feeling energized and grateful.”