Audiences Want Climate Stories - The Redford Center at Sundance Film Festival
The conversation about climate has changed. 8 in 10 Americans believe climate change is happening – the story of what comes next is in our hands. Films are essential for deepening understanding, countering defeatist narratives, and motivating change to embrace action at the scale needed. Inspired by our co-founder Robert Redford’s commitment to independent artists and environmental activism, join The Redford Center’s interactive session to unlock how your unique creativity and influence is vital to our future.
Featured Speakers:
Megha Agrawal Sood believes in the power of sharing stories and building unexpected collaborations to inspire action. She is a Director at Doc Society and leads the Climate Story Unit, an initiative to support productions and impact campaigns of climate-themed stories across the globe. Megha’s previous work experience includes leading impact programming at the film company, Exposure Labs, and helping purpose-driven organizations grow at the innovation firm, IDEO. She was raised in Sugar Land, Texas, studied at Northwestern University, and currently resides in Boulder, Colorado.
Sophie Barthes – A Columbia University graduate, Sophie is a Franco-American filmmaker. Her directorial debut, COLD SOULS with Paul Giamatti and Emily Watson was released by Samuel Goldwyn. COLD SOULS played in competition at the Sundance Film Festival. Sophie is a Sundance Screenwriters & Directors Lab alumna. Her second feature MADAME BOVARY with Mia Wasikowska was released in 2015 after premiering at Telluride. 2023 Sundance Film Festival Premiere: The Pod Generation.
Anna Jane Joyner is a climate story consultant and the founder and director of Good Energy. With over fifteen years of experience in climate communications, she is driven by a passion for storytelling – and helping people find courage in the face of climate change. Anna Jane has worked relentlessly to establish bridges between artists, musicians, faith communities, Southerners, young audiences, and the climate movement. Her work has been featured by Rolling Stone, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Glamour, Deadline, CNN, The Associated Press, The New York Times, and more.
Jeff Orlowski-Yang is the Founder and Creative Director of Exposure Labs, a film and impact production studio that uses stories to change the world. Orlowski-Yang directed the Sundance- premiering, Emmy-winning documentaries The Social Dilemma (2020), Chasing Coral (2017) and Chasing Ice (2012), which were seen by hundreds of millions worldwide and screened everywhere from classrooms and local communities to Capitol Hill and the United Nations. Orlowski-Yang has traveled on tour representing the Sundance Institute, President Obama’s Committee for the Arts and Humanities, and the National Endowment of the Arts, among many other speaking and press engagements. He lives in Boulder, Colorado.
Tracy Rector is the Managing Director, Storytelling, at Nia Tero. Her passion is to amplify and empower Indigenous voices. She has two decades of experience as a community organizer, educator, filmmaker, film programmer, and arts curator. She’s directed and produced over 400 projects. Her work has been featured on Independent Lens, ImagineNative, National Geographic, and the Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian.
Matthieu Rytz is a producer, curator, photographer, and award-winning film director. His first documentary, Anote’s Ark, premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and has been globally acclaimed. Trained as a visual anthropologist, Rytz has a passion for storytelling that has led him across the globe to witness and document complex human and environmental stories. 2023 Sundance Film Festival Premiere: Deep Rising.
Jill Tidman is a recognized leader, producer, and writer working at the intersection of filmmaking and environmental action. As Executive Director of The Redford Center since 2012, she has propelled the vision and built strategies to support stories and storytellers working to drive individual, community, and global action.
Heather Fipps (moderator) is the Program Manager at The Redford Center, where she leads impact programming that supports global environmental filmmakers and storytellers. She is also a Professor of Film and Television with a focus on media and social impact at Cal State LA and a Co-Founder of The Hollywood Climate Summit.