On a sunny Sunday morning, January 26, 2025, in Park City, Utah, Utah Film Center welcomed an intimate gathering of filmmakers and Producer’s Circle donors for its annual Filmmaker Brunch during the Sundance Film Festival. This special event celebrates Utah Film Center’s fiscally sponsored filmmakers, whose projects have received over $40,000 in grant funding through the Film Center’s fiscal sponsorship program.
This year, Utah Film Center proudly served as the fiscal sponsor for FIVE compelling documentary films premiering at Sundance: Come See Me in the Good Light, FOLKTALES, The Librarians, Move Ya Body: The Birth of House, and SALLY. Guests at the brunch had the unique opportunity to receive a behind-the-scenes glimpse of professional filmmaking in action, as well as short insights provided by:
Geralyn White Dreyfous, executive producer and Utah Film Center board chair and founder, Mariah Mellus, Utah Film Center executive director, and Meghan Horner, Utah Film Center development director, on the future of Utah Film Center’s new home, the Geralyn White Dreyfous Utah Film Center. Currently under construction, this space will serve as a hub for Utah artists in film and adjacent trades, offering professional development, educational programs, and exhibition opportunities for all.
Our impressive and experienced 2025 Sundance fiscally sponsored filmmakers then gave audiences a wide range of thoughtful commentary:
Elegance Bratton, director of Move Ya Body: The Birth of House, shared his hopes to amplify an underrecognized but incredibly influential chapter in music history,
Rachel Grady, one of the directors of FOLKTALES, spoke to the inspiration and drive derived from working with a team of educators and students in a remote Norwegian community,
Lauren Haber, producer of Come See Me in the Good Light, emphasized the importance of communal film spaces where audiences can experience stories together, and
Kim Snyder, director of The Librarians, reflected on her long-standing partnership with Geralyn White Dreyfous and Utah Film Center’s fiscal sponsorship program, as well as the many stories she has carried through Utah’s vibrant filmmaking ecosystem.
This year’s brunch carried a particularly meaningful message: Utah audiences have provided some of the most engaging and impactful screenings these filmmakers have ever experienced—asking thoughtful questions, listening with rapt attention, and demonstrating a sincere desire to share what they’ve learned beyond the theater and into the world.
As Sundance continues to be a global stage for independent storytelling, Utah Film Center remains committed to supporting filmmakers and fostering a thriving creative community.
We are grateful to our brunch sponsors for enabling us to host such a inspirational and warm event:
- Geralyn White Dreyfous for hosting us at her beautiful venue, The Church of All Good Things;
- Sam Vetas, Ameriprise Financial, for his generous sponsorship of the event; and
- Sugarhouse Coffee and Hans Kombucha for providing their delicious coffee and kombucha for attendees.
We also want to extend our gratitude to our Producer’s Circle Donors who, through their generous donations, sustain the Film Center and our work in support of these captivating, emotionally driven, people-centered films.
To learn more about our Producer’s Circle, or to become a Producer’s Circle donor with access to special events like the Brunch at Sundance, please visit our Supporter Levels page.To learn more about Utah Film Center’s fiscal sponsorship program, including past projects and how to apply, please visit our Fiscal Sponsorship page.
