Utah Film Center is proud to share exciting news as we head into the 2026 Sundance Film Festival: three films supported through our Fiscal Sponsorship program will premiere at Sundance this year, highlighting stories rooted in youth ambition, trailblazing women, and environmental urgency.
The films—Cookie Queens, Queen of Chess, and The Lake—will screen during the Festival’s ten-day run from January 22 to February 1, 2026.
Supporting Independent Filmmakers in Utah—and Beyond
Utah Film Center has long championed independent filmmakers through its Fiscal Sponsorship program, founded by award-winning producer and Utah Film Center Co-Founder Geralyn White Dreyfous. Designed to remove financial barriers that often stand in the way of non-commercial film projects, the program allows filmmakers to receive tax-deductible donations through Utah Film Center’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.Since its inception more than a decade ago, the program has supported over 400 films, connecting artists with vital resources and helping bring ambitious projects to life. While many of these films premiere at festivals around the world each year, having three fiscally sponsored films debut at Sundance in 2026—right here in Utah—feels especially meaningful as the Festival prepares for its final year in the state.
This program not only supports independent filmmakers at critical stages of production, but also builds the resources and relationships that sustain our work long after a film’s festival premiere. In 2025 alone, independent filmmakers from around the world received over $22 million in donations through this program by utilizing Utah Film Center’s 501(c)(3) status when fundraising.
“Both our Fiscal Sponsorship and film exhibition programs have deeply benefited from having Sundance in our backyard and as a longtime partner. While we are saddened to see the Festival leave Utah, we remain committed to supporting independent storytellers—here at home and around the world” said Mariah Mellus, Executive Director of Utah Film Center.
Utah Film Center is proud to celebrate these three films and the artists behind them. We invite our community to celebrate these films at the Festival and to learn more about how Utah Film Center supports independent filmmakers year-round.
Sundance Film Festival runs January 22–February 1, 2026.
The Films Premiering at Sundance 2026
Cookie Queens
Family Matinee | United States | 2026
Directed by Alysa Nahmias; Produced by Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw, Alysa Nahmias, and Jennifer Sims
It’s Girl Scout Cookie season, and four tenacious girls are determined to become top-selling “Cookie Queens.” Cookie Queens follows Ara, Olive, Nikki, and Shannon Elizabeth as they navigate an $800 million business where childhood, competition, and ambition collide. What begins as a quest for cookie sales quickly reveals something bigger—early signs of leadership, entrepreneurship, and bold dreams for the future.
Queen of Chess
Premieres | United States | 2025
Directed by Rory Kennedy; Screenwritten and Produced by Rory Kennedy, Mark Bailey, and Keven McAlester
Veteran documentarian Rory Kennedy returns to the Sundance Film Festival with this empowering portrait of Judit Polgár, widely regarded as the greatest woman chess player of all time. Raised in communist Hungary as part of an unconventional experiment to cultivate genius, Polgár shattered expectations—becoming the youngest grandmaster in history and challenging the deeply patriarchal culture of international chess.
Through rich archival footage, dynamic visuals, and a rousing girl-power soundtrack, Queen of Chess chronicles Polgár’s historic, long-running rivalry with world champion Garry Kasparov and her enduring impact on the game.
The Lake
U.S. Documentary Competition | United States | 2025
Directed by Abby Ellis; Produced by Fletcher Keyes and Abby Ellis
An environmental crisis of unprecedented scale looms over Utah’s Great Salt Lake. In The Lake, two scientists and a political insider race against the clock to prevent catastrophe. Directed by Utah filmmaker Abby Ellis, the film captures a pivotal moment in human and ecological history, weaving together perspectives from scientists, agricultural leaders, and policymakers.
Both sobering and motivating, The Lake explores the profound responsibility that comes with knowledge—and what it means to fight for the future of a place you call home.