Cynematik • Cyndi Greening

I love Sundance Panel Discussions. They bring contemporary filmmakers together to talk candidly about the issues of the day. I’ve attended panels that had panelists vigorously disagreeing with one another about the subject. I’ve attended panels that had the audience members verbally assaulting filmmakers for their opinions. There is always something wonderful that happens in the Panel Discussions. There are panels at the Prospector and the Filmmaker Lodge. Here then, a brief summary of this year’s schedule.

Filmmaker Lodge

Saturday, 19Jan: Rewriting the Process
A discussion of voice, collaboration, adaptation and rewriting by participants in the Sundance Screenwriters Laboratory.

Sunday, 20Jan: Are You Global Enough
New funding and training opportunities in the international documentary community.

Monday, 21Jan: Sundance Work in Process
Documentary filmmakers who have participated in and been supported by the Sundance Documentary Film Program.

Monday, 21Jan: The Producing Cap
Seasoned producers discuss problem-solving in contemporary filmmaking.

Tuesday, 22Jan: Meet the Film Funds and Commissioning Editors
YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT to assure being able to attend it. Meet folks from HBO, PBS, ITVS, A&E and other funders. Come prepared, have your pitch, your summary, a video short and anything else that might help sell your piece.

Tuesday, 22Jan: Black in America
Discussions with African American filmmakers about where progress is being made in Black Cinema.

Wednesday, 23Jan: The Latin Resurgence
A while back I did a post on the rising popularity of Mexican cinema. At Sundance, they’ve got a panel on the broader rise of Latin American cinema.

Thursday, 24Jan: Stories that Must Be Told: Today’s Human Rights
The documentary film movement as a witness and agent for change in the Human Rights Movement.

Thursday, 24Jan: Producing Native Cinema
Like Black Cinema and Latin American cinema, Native Cinema is on the rise. The contemporary marketplace seems every more welcoming to more voices and diverse stories.

Friday, 25Jan: Critics Cornered?
Do critics still matter? Now that there are gazillions of blog sites and viewer review sites, what is the role of critics in the success or failure of a film?

Prospector Panels

Saturday, 19Jan: On Crisis Survival: Stories of Disaster and Its Aftermath
How does filmmaking intersect with disasters and human crisis?

Sunday, 20Jan: In 3-D: The Future Is Now
Leading producers and creatives discuss the new generation of 3D in film and gaming.

Monday, 21Jan: On Comedy: Are We Laughing in Dark Times?
Film comedy is often the domain of perversity, taboo and dysfunction. What are we allowed to laugh at in these dark times? What are we laughing?

Tuesday, 22Jan: On Invention: The Cinema and Science of Moving Forward
Neurobiologically speaking, what does it mean to have an inventive mind? An assembly of scientists and filmmakers will tinker with the idea.

Wednesday, 23Jan: On Cinematic Imagination: New Spaces for a New Cinema Culture
How do you establish an environment where originality can flourish? For artists working outside of traditional modes of moviemaking, the creative freedoms and unique perspectives are discussed.

Friday, 25Jan: On Plurality: The Middle East in Perspective
Exploring Islam, expressing personal stories, and the transformative power of film.