The Sundance Institute has announced the participants and details of the first Documentary Film Editing and Story Laboratory to be held June 20-25 at Sundance, Utah. Seven Fellows have been selected to participate in the five-day program. These Fellows include directors, editors, and producers from four projects that have previously received funding from the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund. The Lab provides the filmmakers with the opportunity to collaborate with established and award-winning editors and directors as they work on the editing phase of their documentary works-in-progress.
This program is a component of Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program. The Lab was developed to provide documentary filmmakers with an intensive environment to workshop their rough cuts with a group of accomplished editors and directors working as creative advisors. Mentored by the creative advisors, filmmakers focus on story and character development, dramatic structure and effective storytelling. With the support of this creative community, participants are encouraged to take risks and experiment with their works-in-progress.
“Editing is a crucial component of storytelling, particularly in non-fiction filmmaking. There are few opportunities for documentary filmmakers to receive critical feedback during this challenging stage of the creative process,” said Diane Weyermann, Director, Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program. “We’re thrilled to be able offer this unique program and are excited to be working with this amazing group of filmmakers.”
The participants for the 2004 Sundance Institute Documentary Editing and Story Lab are:
Mercedes Moncada, director and Viviana Garcia-Berne, editor ^ THE IMMORTAL (Nicaragua/Spain) ^ Moncada tells the story of twin brothers from Nicaragua who fought on opposite sides of the Contra war during the 1980s, and their present day attempt to reconcile with each other in a divided and devastated country.
Shiri Tsur, director and Avi Banon, producer ^ ON THE OBJECTION FRONT – A PERSONAL JOURNEY (Israel) ^ The filmmaker presents the stories of high-ranking officers in elite units in the Israeli military who refuse to serve in the Occupied Territories and are willing to voice their objections.
Mark Becker, director/editor ^ ROMANTICO (USA) ^ ROMANTICO is an intimate portrayal of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. through two Mexican musicians who play romantica music for tips to support their families in Mexico. The film exposes their struggles as they repeatedly cross the border in both directions in hopes of a better future.
Hank Rogerson, director and Victor Livingston, editor ^ SHAKESPEARE BEHIND BARS (USA) ^ An all-male Shakespeare company at a prison in Kentucky confront their pasts and futures as convicts while they rehearse and perform a full production of The Tempest.
