5 Films That Prove There Are No Rules to Storytelling

When blockbuster after blockbuster repeats the same format, it’s easy to think films have a singular look. But the 2018 Sundance Ignite Fellows are here to remind us that the beauty of film is in its freedom. Kickstarting their careers in filmmaking, these award-winning shorts aim to change perspectives and push society forward through the visual expressions of the filmmakers.

Check out these five films that remind us there is no right way to create:

“A Brief & Concise History of Things & Other Things” by Sidney Butler

A flurry of images reflecting fragments of memories — both personal and shared. A visual slideshow, only a hundred times better.

“This is a personal project that was inspired by my upbringing and how the people who have influenced my life are connected to greater society in some way. From my great-grandmother, to my grandmother, to my own mother, I wanted to trace how history was shaped by the people who came before us — and how impossible it is to live in a vacuum. I believe that the overall message of this piece is that life is beautiful no matter how broken society may be,” says Sidney. | Watch the film.

“Sally and Bruce” by Jillian Banner

Archival footage so nostalgic you somehow find yourself remembering moments that aren’t your own.

“A story about relationships, both imagined and real,” says Jillian. | Watch the film.

“Every Grain of Rice” by Carol Nguyen

A foggy dream that makes you cling to every moment before the memory slips away. The line between reality and the stories passed down through generations blurs throughout the film.

“They say it only takes three generations for a culture to assimilate — an exploration of losing one’s culture and identity through the metaphor of recipes and food,” says Carol. ****| Watch the film.

“Birth Control Your Own Adventure” by Sindha Agha

A series of moments that make you feel the filmmaker’s experience so much that you nearly forget you’re watching a film.

“I regularly suffer from the shortcomings of women’s healthcare in the United States, but when I want to describe my experience I sometimes struggle to articulate the depth and weight of this problem,” says Sindha. | Watch the film.

P.S. Sindha is hosting a challenge about visual empathy. Enter now.

“The Colored Hospital: A Visual Poem” by Terrance Daye

It’s the small moments, unnoticed by most, that shape a person. This film calls them all out with a poetic string of raw emotion.

“‘The Colored Hospital’ is a visual tone poem told through the eyes of a young black man who searches for emotional healing and identity in a country bombarded by violence, hatred, and toxic social norms,” says Terrance. | Watch the film.

Want to see more? Watch all of the submissions to the 2017 Sundance Ignite Challenge.