Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab

Overview

The Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab is a five-day residential workshop held annually in January at the Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah. The lab selects 10 projects per year from over 3,800 submissions and pairs each fellow with established screenwriter and director advisors for intensive one-on-one script development sessions. The 2026 lab took place January 17 to 21, 2026, with 11 fellows across 10 projects.

The lab is part of Sundance's Development Track, a single application that also considers filmmakers for the Screenwriters Intensive (held in March, online), the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and Commissioning Grant, and other Feature Film Program fellowships. Applicants are automatically considered for all programs for which they are eligible.

Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization. The lab is a development program, not a production grant. Sundance does not produce or finance films. Feature Film Program grants are reserved for artists already supported by a Sundance lab or intensive.

What Fellows Receive

Selected Screenwriters Lab fellows get:

• Five days of residential lab programming at Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah
• All travel, accommodation, and meals covered by Sundance for up to 2 participants per project
• Multiple one-on-one script feedback sessions with a rotating team of established advisor-writers and directors
• Group sessions on structure, character development, dialogue, and thematic clarity
• Access to Sundance Institute staff and program resources
• Entry into the Sundance Institute alumni community
• Eligibility for consideration for the Directors Lab (first-time fiction feature directors only), Catalyst Forum, and ongoing creative and strategic support from Feature Film Program staff

The 2026 lab advisors included Michael Arndt, Scott Z. Burns, Linda Yvette Chavez, Scott Frank, Phil Hay, Barry Jenkins, Meg LeFauve, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Nicole Perlman, Howard A. Rodman, Dana Stevens, Lulu Wang, Virgil Williams, and Doug Wright. The lab is led by Michelle Satter (Founding Senior Director, Sundance Institute Artist Programs) and Ilyse McKimmie (Deputy Director, Feature Film Program), with artistic director Jessie Nelson.

The Giving Back Commitment

Sundance does not take possession of any lab fellow's intellectual property. However, in return for participation, lab alumni whose projects are produced are asked to contribute to the Institute:

• Budget under $1,500,000: no contribution required
• Budget $1,500,001 to $3,000,000: $2,500 contribution
• Budget $3,000,001 to $5,000,000: $5,000 contribution (due 10 business days before principal photography)
• Budget $5,000,001 and above: $7,500 contribution (due 10 business days before principal photography)

Sundance Institute also receives a credit line and logo placement in the film's end titles: "This film was supported by the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program."

Eligibility

• Open to first- or second-time fiction feature writers, writer-directors, or writer-director teams
• If you have previously had more than one fiction feature produced, you are not eligible
• International projects must have a director attached
• Both US-based and international filmmakers may apply
• Applicants must have a completed draft of their screenplay (work-in-progress is acceptable)
• Script length: 90 to 120 pages strongly suggested; 75 to 130 pages accepted. Scripts shorter than 75 pages or longer than 130 pages require prior approval from Feature Film Program staff
• Scripts in a language other than English must be translated into English
• No requirement for prior professional film experience

Screenwriters Intensive (Separate Program)

The Screenwriters Intensive is a separate program within the Development Track for first-time fiction feature writers or writer-directors, with priority given to artists from traditionally underrepresented communities (women, artists of color, LGBTQ+ artists, artists with disabilities). The intensive is held online in March. Travel and accommodations are not covered, but a small stipend is available for fellows traveling from outside Los Angeles. The majority of selected intensive fellows are US-based, though international artists may be considered.

Application Process and Fee

The Development Track application is open annually from mid-April to mid-May for the following year's programs.

2027 Cycle Timeline

• April 14, 2026: Application opens at apply.sundance.org
• May 12, 2026, 4:59 PM PT: Final deadline (no extensions granted)
• January 2027: Screenwriters Lab (exact dates TBD)
• March 2027: Screenwriters Intensive (exact dates TBD)

Application Fee

$45, paid online at the time of submission. Aside from the application fee, there is no charge for participation in any Sundance program.

Application Components

• Contact information for primary applicant, co-applicant (if applicable), and one additional creative team member
• Eligibility questions
• Introductory statement (250 words max)
• Short essay questions (150 words max each): themes, tone/visual style, what needs work, urgency of story, target audience, personal connection, authentic representation, and (optional) resubmission changes
• Use of generative AI disclosure
• Sloan Fellowship and grant questions (Sloan applicants only)
• Bios (150 words max each)
• Logline (75 words max)
• Synopsis (750 words max, including all major characters and story points, including the ending)
• First 5 pages of screenplay or treatment
• Intellectual property/rights disclosure (if based on true events or characters)

Applicants are notified on a rolling basis. Those who advance to the next stage should be prepared to submit the full screenplay, a director's statement (for writer-directors), and additional materials.

Selection and Competition

The 2026 Screenwriters Lab selected 11 fellows across 10 projects from over 3,800 submissions. The Screenwriters Intensive selected 13 writers across 9 projects. Both programs are highly competitive, with an acceptance rate under 0.3% for the Screenwriters Lab.

Applicants who are not selected in a given cycle are encouraged to reapply in future cycles with the same or a revised project. Each application requires a separate application fee.

The Sundance Selection Effect

A Sundance Screenwriters Lab selection changes a project's trajectory in measurable ways. Producers, financiers, and development executives treat lab selection as a quality signal. Scripts developed at the lab have gone on to production at all budget levels, from micro-budget independent films to studio features. Alumni include filmmakers whose projects have premiered at major festivals and won Academy Awards.

Projects developed through Sundance Institute labs include Beasts of the Southern Wild, Call Me by Your Name, CODA, The Farewell, Half Nelson, Mudbound, Pariah, Reservoir Dogs, Sin Nombre, Sorry to Bother You, and Summer of Soul. Alumni include Paul Thomas Anderson, Darren Aronofsky, Ryan Coogler, The Daniels, Marielle Heller, Miranda July, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Boots Riley, Taika Waititi, Lulu Wang, and Chloé Zhao.

For screenwriters without established industry relationships, the lab can function as a primary industry introduction. Many fellows attract representation and production interest during or shortly after the lab period.

Who Should Apply

First- or second-time fiction feature screenwriters who have taken their script as far as they can on their own and need intensive professional feedback to break through stubborn challenges. The ideal applicant has a completed draft that is still a work in progress, is not yet attached to a studio or production company with the resources to develop it independently, and is ready for the rigorous, collaborative development process the lab provides. Both US-based and international filmmakers are eligible, though international projects must have a director attached.

See Also

For understanding how script development connects to production financing, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack. For planning a development-to-production timeline, use the Production Schedule Calculator. For the separate Sundance documentary development program, see the SFFILM Documentary Film Fund entry.