Young Filmmakers Push Society Forward in Sundance Ignite Challenge

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Filmmakers show us the world through new eyes – they have the power to shift our perspective and spark change. This potential for impact is at the core of Adobe Project 1324’s partnership with Sundance Institute. We are working with Sundance to identify and support bold voices among the next generation of filmmakers—young directors who are bringing fresh perspectives to stories that urgently need to be told.

We teamed up with Sundance Institute last year to launch Sundance Ignite, “a program designed to excite a new generation of audience members and film artists around the power of storytelling.” Sundance Ignite engages hundreds of young filmmakers at the Sundance Film Festival—giving them opportunities to participate in intimate panel discussions with filmmakers and industry insiders and access to special events, including film talks and roundtable discussions with directors where they reveal insights on their creative process.

Sundance Ignite also offers 15 game-changing fellowships for emerging filmmakers between the ages of 18 and 24. Fellows receive a yearlong mentorship with a Sundance artist, which kicks off at the Sundance Film Festival, as well as industry opportunities that become a catalyst for their careers.

To help select the inaugural class of Ignite Fellows, we hosted a global, short film challenge with Sundance Institute and invited emerging young filmmakers to show us “What’s Next?” We received submissions from over 30 different countries and the winning films captivated us with their power and vulnerability. Each short embodied the power of film to effect change. As challenge winner and Ignite fellow Kevin Brooks says, “That’s the responsibility of a filmmaker – push society forward,”

Over the course of the year, the fellows have become part of the Sundance and Adobe families, and leaders in the growing Project 1324 community. Adobe supports and amplifies the fellows’ work, and they have pushed us to be increasingly bold in our vision for how Project 1324 can connect and support emerging creatives across mediums and around the world. Learn more about their journey here.

Today, we announce with Sundance Institute, the 25 finalists in the 2016 Sundance Ignite short film challenge. Watch their films here and vote to help select the next class of fellows. The fifteen challenge winners will start their Ignite journey at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in January.

To learn more about how Adobe Project 1324 supports, connects and amplifies the work of young creatives, follow @Project1324 and check out what our community is doing at Project1324.com. Don’t miss how Adobe Creativity Scholars are Standing up for Gender Equality and addressing Race and Identity, or the collaborations we have cooking with the recipients of the Adobe Creative Catalyst Award and our friends at YAK Films.