Indigenous Program
Indigenous Program supports Indigenous storytellers through film and episodic development, labs, fellowships, mentorship, and screenings to uplift Indigenous voices and decolonize the screen.
Funder: Sundance Institute
Due Dates: November 3, 2026 (Merata Mita Fellowship) | November 16, 2026, 3:30 p.m. PT (Graton Fellowship) | December 22, 2026 (Native Lab) | July 31, 2027 (Graton Collab Artist Opportunity)
Funding Amounts: Graton Fellowship: $25,000 each for two fellows, plus yearlong creative and professional support
Summary: Supports Indigenous storytellers through film and episodic development, labs, fellowships, mentorship, and screenings.
Key Information: Opportunities are limited to Indigenous artists; the Graton Fellowship specifically serves artists from California-based Native tribes.
Description
Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program champions Indigenous-created stories globally through labs, fellowships, screenings, and gatherings shaped around Native and Indigenous storytellers. Its work centers on decolonizing the screen and uplifting Indigenous voices while recognizing storytellers’ responsibilities toward Indigenous peoples, communities, and sovereignty. The program supports feature film and episodic development through hands-on guidance from Institute staff and advisors, one-on-one feedback, and roundtable discussions.
Offerings include the Native Lab, Graton Fellowship, Merata Mita Fellowship, and Sundance Institute | Graton Collab Artist Opportunity. The Graton Fellowship specifically cultivates filmmakers from California Native tribes, supporting narrative features and feature-length documentaries in development or production. Alongside these development opportunities, the Indigenous Film Tour presents short films by Indigenous filmmakers through partnered in-person screenings.
