Utah Film Center hosted a Brunch at Sundance for Producer’s Circle donors on January 21, 2024, in celebration of our three fiscally-sponsored films at Sundance 2024: Porcelain War, Gaucho Gaucho, and Eternal You.
The intimate gathering of donors, filmmakers, and special guests featured brief insights from:
- Al Hicks, producer of Porcelain War, who talked about working with Ukrainian artists as they documented their experiences on the front line of Ukraine’s war with Russia;
- Geralyn Dreyfous, who arrived right from film negotiations, to share her 2024 Sundance experience and the state of film negotiations and distribution at the festival;
- Shelly Lowe, Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, offered her thoughts and experience watching Sugarcane, a film about discovering unmarked graves at Canada’s residential schools for Indigenous youth and the intergenerational reckoning that followed. She also spoke about the efforts of the NEH to provide a platform for Indigenous perspectives and art in this critical period of healing and growth.
- Gregory Kershaw and Michael Dweck from Gaucho Gaucho, who spoke about finding the Argentinian Gaucho community and their efforts to authentically and lovingly render it on film.
It was a beautiful setting for connecting to filmmakers and others who inspire with their creativity, resilience, and heart.
**Shortly after the brunch, we learned that Porcelain War won Sundance’s U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary and Gaucho Gaucho won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Sound. Well deserved! We are so very excited for both of these films and grateful that members of their film teams took time to spend some of their Sunday morning with us.**
We are also grateful to our brunch sponsors:
- Geralyn Dreyfous for hosting us at her beautiful venue;
- Sam Vetas, Ameriprise Financial, for helping to underwrite the event;
- Sweet Hazel and Co. for the amazingly delicious vegan brunch; and
- Sugar House Distillery, Sugarhouse Coffee, and Hans Kombucha for sponsoring our beverage bar.
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 webpage.
