2021 Sundance Film Festival is in Full-Swing Online

2021 Sundance Film Festival is in Full-Swing Online

by | Jan 30, 2021 | Events, Features, News

Park City, Utah. The Sundance Film Festival looks different this year–it’s virtual. There are 71 Features, 50 shorts, 4 indie series, 14 New Frontier Projects debuting on digital platforms and satellite screens nationwide from January 28-February 3, 2021. One highly anticipated film that has excellent reviews is Coda (pictured above). It was directed by Sian Heder and stars Emilia Jones, Eugenio Derbez, Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin. This drama is about a girl who is the only hearing person in her deaf family.

There’s a virtual “Main Street” where you can watch major panel discussions and gatherings at the festival for free. Click here to find out more.

In addition to the online platform, there are in-person experiences in Park City and across the country.

Here’s a video about the first day:

Additionally, festival attendees can gather in virtual waiting rooms, participate in live Q&As, and congregate in new, online environments.

The films were selected from 14,092 submissions including 3,500 feature-length films. Of the feature film submissions, 1,377 were from the U.S. and 2,132 were international.

Above, is a scene from “President” by Camilla Nielsson. (photo credit, Sundance)

“Of course, the pandemic year demanded adaptation,” said Keri Putnam, Sundance Institute’s Executive Director. “On a deeper level, we also recognize the urgency of supporting independent storytellers at a time of great upheaval in the film and media fields. We’re proud this edition of the Festival is fiercely independent and will reach people everywhere, celebrating both the theatrical experience at our Satellite Screens and streaming on our platform.”

“This Festival is a singular response to a singular year – both in design and curation – and we are excited about the new dimensions of possibility it will reveal. But at its core is something that speaks to our most enduring values,” said Tabitha Jackson, Director of the Sundance Film Festival. “For thousands of years humans have gathered to tell stories and make meaning. In this pandemic year, we gather to celebrate a constellation of artists with unique perspectives that express this current moment and who together are saying, ‘We exist. This is who we are. And this is what we see.’”

“The work in this year’s program is groundbreaking, imaginative, and formally daring,” said Kim Yutani, the Festival’s Director of Programming. “With over half the program made by first-time directors, a sense of discovery remains true to us at Sundance. This year’s Festival presents irrefutable evidence that despite the challenges, the independent voice is as strong as ever.”

The full 2021 slate of works, including 71 feature-length films, representing 29 countries and 38 first-time feature filmmakers. 14 films and projects announced today were supported by Sundance Institute in development, through direct granting or residency Labs. 66 of the Festival’s feature films, or 93% of the lineup announced today, will be world premieres.

From The Sundance Institute:

The Sundance Institute is a global nonprofit arts organization established by Robert Redford. Since its founding in 1981, the Institute has provided a nurturing oasis for independent artists to confidently develop their inimitable voices, and speak their truth without compromise—free from commercial pressure. We stand in solidarity with risk-taking creators and the audiences who support them.

We mentor and support a vibrant international community of independent artists across 184 countries, championing the discovery and development of storytellers whose important stories might otherwise go unnoticed.

 

Cherry Blossoms Grace The Portland Japanese Garden in Time for Reopening

Cherry Blossoms Grace The Portland Japanese Garden in Time for Reopening

by | Feb 20, 2016 | Events, Features

Portland, February 21st, 2016. Craftsmen are putting the finishing touches on Portland Japanese Garden‘s 33.5-million dollar Cultural Crossings expansion project which will open to the public on March 1st. The Garden has been closed for six months to accommodate the heaviest construction on the project. Construction will continue immediately outside the Garden’s gates until officials reveal the new Cultural Village at a Grand Reopening in Spring 2017.

The expansion includes three new LEED certified buildings and seven new garden spaces. Architects have taken into consideration efficiency and design and the Garden’s new building and landscaping were developed primarily in areas where the Garden currently has a footprint.

A key part of the expansion’s design is a 20-foot-high stone wall being built outside the Garden’s gates. Suminori Awata, a 15th-generation Japanese stonemason, is building the wall using traditional techniques and stone harvested from Central Oregon.

It will be the only castle wall of its kind in the United States. As visitors approach the Garden, this wall will rise up to meet them, transporting the imagination to another place and time.

It will be the only castle wall of its kind in the United States. As visitors approach the Garden, this wall will rise up to meet them, transporting the imagination to another place and time.

The overall expansion project includes three new LEED certified buildings and seven new garden spaces. Architects have taken into consideration efficiency and design; the Garden’s new buildings and landscaping were developed primarily in the current footprint. A new entrance and ticketing office will be located adjacent to the existing parking lot on Kingston Avenue. New garden landscaping styles will accompany visitors up the hillside along the existing path to the new Cultural Village.

With much of the design work provided pro-bono, the majority of the budget will go toward construction, trees and plants, and material costs.

With much of the design work provided pro-bono, the majority of the budget has gone toward construction, trees, plants and material costs.

Architecture and Design Plans Kengo Kuma and Associates has developed the vision and design for the expansion, providing a beautiful modern style that blends the traditions of Japanese design with the spirit of the Pacific Northwest. Sadafumi Uchiyama, current Garden Curator, has designed the new gardens and landscaping that will surround the new buildings.

Kengo Kuma and Associates developed the design for the expansion, providing a modern style that blends the traditions of Japanese design with the spirit of the Pacific Northwest. Sadafumi Uchiyama, the current Garden Curator, designed the new gardens and landscaping that will surround the new buildings.

Contributions for the project have come from donors in Oregon, around North America, and Japan. Notable gifts include: $5,000,000 from Arlene Schnitzer, $4,500,000 from Japanese Garden Trustees, $1,500,000 from the Oregon State Lottery Bonds and $1,500,000 from business leaders and philanthropists in Japan.

The plan calls for over 200 new trees and shrubs along the walking trail leading from the parking lot to the garden while removing invasive non-native species (e.g., English Ivy) from the hillside. The original five gardens will remain intact and unmodified during the expansion. A primary reason for the expansion is to protect and preserve the tranquility of the original Garden while hosting more visitors every year.

Here’s a video about the expansion project:

From The Portland Japanese Garden:
The Portland Japanese Garden is proud to offer our community an amazing garden, interesting lectures and workshops, and quality exhibitions and educational programs. We rely on contributions from the entire community to help us fulfill our mission and keep the Garden affordable for a growing number of visitors. You can help sustain the Garden by making an individual contribution, becoming a corporate member or donor, or giving an in-kind gift. If you have questions or ideas about how you might support the Garden, please call (503) 542-0281 or email Allison Rangel.