a quick thing about the dance

Maybe it’s the people I’m hanging with...it probably is. But let’s get into this post anyways even if it’s just my circle. I’ve heard a bunch of variations on the same theme the last few days:

• Why Sundance isn’t (or hasn’t) done more for the indie community.

• Sundance is abandoning the community by going to Boulder.

• Sundance is chasing $$ and isn’t about indie film anymore.

And other similar things, which all boils down to looking for someone to save you.

Here’s the thing. Sundance has done a ton for the filmmaking community. Full stop. But they’re in a different place now. And honestly, they have been for a while. Different agenda, different needs, and they serve a different community than they once did. That doesn’t mean they can’t still do great things. It does mean the film community needs to stop looking backwards and waiting for Sundance to be what it used to be.

Take a leaf out of what’s happening elsewhere right now: new distribution models, The Impact Lounge, The Solidarity House, the NonDē community, FilmStack, and others.

Don’t wait for permission.

Sundance still has a role to play. But if we’re talking grassroots, up-and-coming filmmakers, and definitely the NonDē filmmaker, I’m not convinced it’s their lane anymore.

Not right now.

If you’re a grassroots or up and coming filmmaker, you can grow, evolve and choose to go down the lane where Sundance is meaningful but you also don’t have to. My POV is: I’m grateful for what Sundance is. I wish they could cover all the bases. And I also accept reality. There are others to fill the gaps.

Slamdance. Raindance. There are other dances. There are other builders. There are other film workers actively supporting the current and evolving ecosystem, some I don’t even know about yet, and some that haven’t emerged.

Go find them. Go build them even.

And btw, anyone’s gripes with Sundance are valid. I’m not here to police people’s frustration. I just want us to move toward solutions. Let’s be solutionists.

Another thing I’ve heard the past few days that hit, because it’s true:

Independent filmmakers are behind the curve on audience. Behind on how important the audience relationship is, and behind on letting audiences in early during development and production. We keep holding the story tight until the film is finished, then we step outside and ask the world to care. But your early adopters want something different. They want to be in the room earlier. They want to feel like they’re part of it. They want a way to advocate while the thing is still becoming.

To be fair, we do have to give the community some credit: there is evolution happening. You can feel it. But yeah, we can do so much more. Let’s explore. I need to think more before I write about this in depth.

Let me know how you feel about all this.

**Separately worth noting I have not heard the word NonDē used in any conversations yet. It’s still indie indie indie. Have you run across NonDē at Sundance?

The view from the top of Main Street on Sunday 1/25/26.