Sundance Film Festival -- NEXT
A competitive section within the Sundance Film Festival dedicated to micro-budget and formally innovative independent films made outside conventional industry structures.
Overview
Sundance NEXT is a competitive section within the Sundance Film Festival dedicated to micro-budget and formally innovative independent films. Launched in 2010, NEXT specifically seeks films that push the boundaries of independent filmmaking through their aesthetic approach, production method, or narrative form.
NEXT has served as the launchpad for some of the most memorable and surprising films in recent Sundance history. The section's emphasis on formal ambition and production independence has created a space where filmmakers with minimal resources but maximum vision can compete alongside films with far larger budgets in the main competition categories.
The NEXT prize is one of Sundance's most prestigious awards for films that represent the spirit of genuine independence. NEXT winners and alumni have gone on to successful theatrical releases, critical acclaim, and subsequent careers that demonstrate the section's effectiveness at identifying talent.
Key Sections
- NEXT Feature Competition -- micro-budget narrative features competing for the NEXT Innovator Award
- NEXT <=> Midnight -- hybrid NEXT/midnight programming for genre-adjacent experimental work
What Filmmakers Should Know
NEXT is programmed through the Sundance submission process. The section has specific emphasis on films made with limited resources and formal ambition. Films that have been made for very low budgets but demonstrate significant creative vision are strong NEXT candidates.
The NEXT prize has been given to films including Tangerine (2015, shot on iPhone), which helped launch Sean Baker's career, demonstrating the section's commitment to films that challenge conventional production approaches.
Major Awards
- NEXT Innovator Award -- for the most innovative film in the section
- Special Jury Award -- within the NEXT section
Festival History
NEXT was launched in 2010 as a response to the increasing diversity of independent filmmaking methods and the need for a Sundance section that could celebrate the most formally adventurous micro-budget work without comparing it to films with substantially larger resources.
See Also
For the main Sundance Film Festival, see Sundance Film Festival. For micro-budget filmmaking, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies.
