Salt Lake City, Utah – The Sundance Film Festival has unveiled the impressive lineup of jurors for its 2025 competitions, bringing together a varied group of industry luminaries to judge the innovative works presented at this premier film event. The festival, known for celebrating and showcasing pathbreaking cinema from around the world, will see these jurors, including notable figures such as Oscar-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya, evaluate the competing films in multiple categories from January 23 onwards.
The Sundance juries are structured into six distinct panels, each assigned to a specific competition category. The array of talent within these panels includes Oscar-nominated filmmaker Celine Song, known for her work on “Past Lives,” and SAG Award-winner Elijah Wood, who will have the unique role of overseeing the NEXT section alone. The NEXT section is particularly noted for highlighting bold, US films that demonstrate a forward-thinking approach to storytelling.
The U.S. Dramatic Competition will be evaluated by a panel featuring Song alongside "King Richard" director Reinaldo Marcus Green and "Succession" star Arian Moayed. Meanwhile, the World Cinema Dramatic Competition panel includes Kaluuya, Ava Cahen, who co-founded and co-edits the French media outlet frenchmania.fr, and Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu, best known for her acclaimed film “Rafiki.”
For documentaries, the U.S. Documentary Competition jury comprises Oscar and Emmy-winning filmmaker Steven Bognar, known for "American Factory," Emmy and Peabody Award-winning producer Vinnie Malhotra, who leads the film and TV division at the Obamas’ production company Higher Ground, and Marcia Smith, executive producer of the upcoming “Slumlord Millionaire.” The World Cinema Documentary competition will be assessed by Daniela Alatorre, head of the Mexican Film Institute, former marketing executive Laura Kim, and Kevin Macdonald, director of “The Mauritanian.”
These distinguished individuals will bring their expansive industry experience and unique perspectives to judge the entries and identify standouts in their respective categories.
The Short Film Program Competition’s jury includes actor and filmmaker Kaniehtiio Horn, executive director of the Vidiots Foundation Maggie Mackay, and filmmaker Kibwe Tavares.
Preceding the festival, the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, a significant award highlighting excellence in films with themes of science or technology, or featuring protagonists in STEM fields, has already been announced. The prize was awarded to Cristina Costantini for her documentary, “SALLY,” chosen by a jury that included filmmaker Michael Almereyda, academic and artist Dr. Nia Imara, AI scholar Dr. Monica Lopez, filmmaker Nicholas Ma, and the Zuchero brothers.
With such an array of talents both on screen and in the jury panels, the 2025 Sundance Film Festival is set to deliver a cinematic feast that highlights both artistic innovation and compelling narratives in film. The festival not only offers on-site viewings in Utah but also provides opportunities for global audiences to engage with its selections digitally, reflecting Sundance’s commitment to accessibility and broad reach in the evolving cinematic landscape.
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