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4 Utah Film Center Fiscally Sponsored Films at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival

Utah Film Center is excited to announce that four films supported by its Fiscal Sponsorship program have been selected to premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. FOLKTALES, Move Ya Body: The Birth of House, SALLY, and The Librarians will be available for audiences to view in person at the festival, running from January 23 to February 5. This achievement highlights Utah Film Center’s essential role in providing independent filmmakers with an alternative pathway to bring their creative visions to life in an increasingly competitive industry.

“This is an incredible accomplishment for the filmmakers and their teams,” said Mariah Mellus, Executive Director. “It’s a huge moment for Utah Film Center too! Our mission includes supporting independent storytellersand seeing these films thrive and premiere at Sundance really shows how we’re making an impact in the global film community. It’s an exciting step forward for us as we continue to connect filmmakers with resources.”

Utah Film Center’s Fiscal Sponsorship program, started by award-winning producer and Utah Film Center founder and board chair, Geralyn White Dreyfous, helps board-approved projects overcome the financial challenges of independent filmmaking by utilizing Utah Film Center’s non-profit 501(c)(3) status, allowing them to attract tax-deductible donations and offering a powerful alternative to self-funding. The Fiscal Sponsorship program is a supportive structure that gives filmmakers greater control and creates opportunities for a broader range of stories to be told.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to work with filmmakers from so many different backgrounds,” said Frank Bennett, Fiscal Sponsorship Manager. “Our program takes the financial stress out of the equation so they can focus on making their films. We’re thrilled to see their hard work and creativity celebrated at Sundance.”

Utah Film Center Fiscal Sponsorship films at Sundance 2025:

FOLKTALES
Directors: Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady
Producers: Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady

On the precipice of adulthood, teenagers converge at a traditional folk high school in Arctic Norway. Dropped at the edge of the world, they must rely on only themselves, one another, and a loyal pack of sled dogs as they all grow in unexpected directions. The mission is simple: return to basics by quieting the chaos of modern life. The teens learn Arctic survival skills and care for sled dogs, building confidence and self-reliance. They bond with their canine companions and practice patience and kindness.

Move Ya Body: The Birth of House
Director: Elegance Bratton
Producers: Chester Algernal Gordon

Out of the underground dance clubs on the South Side of Chicago, a group of friends turn a new sound into a global movement. Vince Lawrence was an eccentric, nerdy Black child growing up in Mayor Daley’s segregated Chicago. One summer when his dad couldn’t afford to send him to summer camp, Lawrence embarked on a personal journey that would lead him to become the first person to record a house song. He catalyzed a force of radical togetherness that would break down his city’s invisible walls of segregation, and fundamentally transform the music world.

SALLY
Director: Cristina Costantini
Producers: Lauren Cioffi, Dan Cogan, Jon Bardin, Cristina Costantini

SALLY skillfully weaves together the dual threads of Sally Ride’s story: the private romance she shared with her partner and the professional trajectory of her time in the space program that saw her contend with overt sexism and homophobia, prompting her secrecy. Rare archival footage brings the viewer behind the scenes to witness NASA training and missions, while press appearances reflect the media frenzy Ride was subjected to both before and after her historic first flight. O’Shaughnessy takes a fitting central role in recounting her beloved Ride’s story and the legacy she left behind that inspires countless women and girls to dream for the stars.

The Librarians
Director: Kim A. Snyder
Producers: Kim A. Snyder, Janique L. Robillard, Maria Cuomo Cole, Jana Edelbaum

As an unprecedented wave of book banning is sparked in Texas, Florida, and beyond, librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy. Kim A. Snyder (Us Kids, 2020 Sundance Film Festival) takes us to an unexpected front line where librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy and free access to information. As they well know, controlling libraries and the flow of ideas means control over communities.At the center of it all are the steadfast librarians, determined to protect children’s right to access books that educate, empower, and provide solace — despite facing harassment, threats, and even laws aimed at criminalizing their work.

About the Fiscal Sponsorship Program

Since 2008, Utah Film Center’s fiscal sponsorship program has been integral in facilitating tax-beneficial donations for independent films. In the last year alone, independent filmmakers from around the world received over $18 million in donations through this program by utilizing Utah Film Center’s 501(c)(3) status when fundraising. Additionally in 2024, 76 new projects began, with 29 being Utah-based.

Fiscal sponsorship helps democratize the filmmaking process and is a critical component of our support for independent filmmakers. With the help of fiscal sponsorship, Utah Film Center connects audiences to film projects that leave them profoundly transformed. Learn more here.Award-Winning fiscally sponsored films in 2024 include: Make Peace or Die, Porcelain War, and Plan C.

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