Sundance Institute has introduced the members chosen for the 2023 Momentum Fellowship, a program “designed to support and provide coaching to mid-career artists with a focus on career development,” per Deadline. Launched in 2018, the fellowship was “created to support storytellers from historically marginalized communities who have recently achieved a noteworthy accomplishment, such as a regarded feature film or series,” and “provides fellows with a full-year program of deep, customized support around the goals they have identified for themselves to level up in their craft and career.” Eligible artists embody these “identifying as women, non-binary and/or transgender, Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color, and artists with disabilities.”

The Momentum Fellowship consists of an unrestricted artist grant, skilled teaching, year-round assist from Sundance Institute workers, and extra.

Eight fellows had been chosen this 12 months, and 7 of them are girls: Francisca Alegria (“The Cow Who Sang A Song Into the Future”); Rita Baghdadi (“Sirens”); Michelle Garza (“Huesera”); Nikyatu Jusu (“Nanny”); Kate Tsang (” Marvelous and the Black Gap”); Charlotte Wells (“Aftersun”); and Violet du Feng (“Hidden Letters”).

“Over the years, the fellows selected for Momentum have all experienced success with their recently completed projects. This has often been a critical moment for artists to receive creative and tactical support as they focus on a meaningful path forward,” stated Michelle Satter, Sundance’s founding Senior Director, Artist Packages. “This is where Momentum is both aptly named and unique in the industry – the fellowship is customized to the needs of individual filmmakers as they move forward with their next steps, making choices that’ll ensure they can sustain a career that gives them exciting and timely creative opportunities.”

Previous fellows embody Cristina Costantini (“Mucho Mucho Amor”), Ekwa Msangi (“Farewell Amor”), and Christina Choe (“Nancy”).

Learn extra concerning the Momentum Fellows under, courtesy of Sundance.

Francisca Alegria is an award-winning filmmaker who’s brief movie And the Entire Sky Match within the Lifeless Cow’s Eye acquired the award for Finest Worldwide Fiction Quick at Sundance Movie Pageant. Her debut characteristic The Cow Who Sang A Track Into the Future premiered at Sundance Movie Pageant in 2022 and was supported by the 2017 Sundance Institute Screenwriters and Administrators Lab together with the Catalyst Discussion board.

Rita Baghdadi is an Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker identified for the intimacy of her daring, character-driven movies. Her newest characteristic, Sirens, premiered on the 2022 Sundance Movie Pageant and received the Grand Jury Prize at Outfest. Rita’s work has been supported by Sundance, Tribeca, Netflix, HBO, IDA and Movie Impartial.

Michelle Garza is a director and screenwriter who graduated from CCC in Mexico Metropolis and Goldsmiths in London. Her debut characteristic Huesera premiered at Tribeca 2022 the place it received the Finest New Narrative Director and the Nora Ephron awards. Michelle additionally received the Citizen Kane award for the very best new director at Sitges 2022.

Nikyatu Jusu is a author and director and her first characteristic movie, Nanny, was developed on the Sundance Institute’s 2020 Administrators and Screenwriters Labs and debuted on the 2022 Sundance Movie Pageant, the place it received the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize. Her observe up authentic characteristic movie screenplay was acquired by Common Studios and Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions. She works as an Assistant Professor of Directing and Screenwriting, Movie and Video Research, on the Faculty of Visible & Performing Arts at George Mason College.

Bing Liu is a China-born, Midwest-raised filmmaker. His directorial credit embody Minding the Hole, America To Me and All These Sons. Bing was supported by the Sundance Institute’s 2020 Administrators and Screenwriters Lab on his first fiction characteristic which is presently in growth.

Kate Tsang is an artist/filmmaker creating imaginative, offbeat tales with coronary heart. Her debut characteristic Marvelous and the Black Gap premiered on the 2021 Sundance Movie Pageant. She wrote on the Emmy-nominated reveals Journey Time: Distant Lands (HBO MAX) and Steven Universe Future (Cartoon Community).

Charlotte Wells is a BAFTA profitable Scottish filmmaker whose debut characteristic, the award-winning Aftersun premiered in Critics’ Week at Cannes. Previous to Aftersun, Wells wrote and directed three brief movies, Tuesday, Laps, and Blue Christmas. She is a graduate of the MBA/MFA program at NYU the place she was supported by BAFTA NY and LA. Charlotte, along with her challenge Aftersun, was supported by the Sundance Institute’s 2020 Administrators and Screenwriters Labs.

Violet du Feng is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. She has directed, produced or govt produced 13 movies together with the newest Tribeca-premiered and Sundance Documentary Movie Program supported Hidden Letters. Her primary producing credit embody Pricey Mom, I Meant to Write about Demise, Singing within the Wilderness, Confucian Dream, Maineland and Please Bear in mind Me.