This year’s Sundance Film Festival has unveiled its 17-member jury, featuring notable figures such as Tatiana Maslany, Martin Starr, Azazel Jacobs, A.V. Rockwell, Janicza Bravo, and Nisha Ganatra among others.
In the U.S. Dramatic Competition Jury, prominent talents include Azazel Jacobs, known for his upcoming film “His Three Daughters,” Janicza Bravo, celebrated for her writing and directing in “Zola,” and Nisha Ganatra, who achieved box office acclaim this year with “Freaky Friday.”
The U.S. Documentary Competition Jury boasts an impressive lineup, featuring Natalia Almada, a MacArthur Fellow with a history of success at Sundance, Justin Chang, a Pulitzer Prize-winning critic from the L.A. Times, and Jennie Livingston, the acclaimed director of “Paris Is Burning.”
Eugene Hernandez, the director of Sundance Film Festival and Public Programming, expressed enthusiasm for this year’s jury, highlighting their creative depth and commitment to bold storytelling. Hernandez stated, “They bring curiosity, rigor, and a deep respect for bold storytelling, qualities that are essential to discovering the films that will define the future of independent cinema.”
Tatiana Maslany will join Ana Katz and So Yong Kim on the World Cinema Dramatic Competition Jury, while Martin Starr will be part of the Short Film Program Competition Jury along with publishing director Liv Constable-Maxwell and director A.V. Rockwell of “A Thousand and One.” Other juries include the World Cinema Documentary Competition Jury and the NEXT Jury.
The Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize jury convened ahead of the festival, awarding the prize to director Andrew Stanton and screenwriter Colby Day for their work on “In the Blink of an Eye.”
Kim Yutani, the Festival’s Director of Programming, mentioned the significance of having jurors with deep ties to the festival, stating, “It’s a full-circle way to honor many of the artists, partners and industry members who have played such a pivotal role in shaping the Sundance Film Festival’s legacy for more than 40 years.”
This 42nd edition of the Sundance Film Festival marks a notable transition as it will be the last held in Park City and Salt Lake City before the festival relocates to Boulder, Colorado. Additionally, this year’s event will be the first following the passing of the festival’s founder, Robert Redford. The next Sundance Film Festival is set to take place from January 22 to February 1, 2026.