After pandemic speed bumps stalled the Sundance Film Festival in the past two years, the Park City fest returns fully in person and virtually starting January 19 through January 29 – and GLAAD will be there!

GLAAD is excited to host the official Sundance panel “From “The Stroll” to Sundance: How One Documentary Came to Be and a Path to Reclaiming Transgender Narratives” on January 23. The panel, moderated by GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos, will be open to Sundance attendees and will feature The Stroll co-directors Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker. They will discuss how this new documentary reclaims ownership and shifts the lens on trans storytelling in Hollywood.

Representing GLAAD at Sundance are also Alex Schmider, Director of Transgender Representation, who will be featured on the IMDb and Amazon Prime presented “Authentically Successful” panel at Acura Festival Village on January 20 and Seed & Spark presented “Joy as Cultural Innovation” panel at the Innovators’ House on January 23. Dino-Ray Ramos will also be moderating a panel for Randall Park’s feature directorial debut Shortcomings on January 22. The invite-only event will include a conversation with Park as well as the film’s stars Sherry Cola, Justin H. Min, and Ally Maki. 

In addition, GLAAD will be holding an invite-only mixer at Meredith Marks Boutique on January 21. 

Read below for more information on GLAAD’s events as well as other notable events during the fest. (This article will be updated with additions of announcements and events leading up to and during Sundance Film Festival 2023.)

Friday, January 20

IMDb and Prime Video’s “Authentically Successful” Panel 

2:30-3:30 PM MT

Acura Festival Village (Open to the public, no RSVP required)

IMDb and Prime Video will host the “Authentically Successful” panel, featuring a discussion between community leaders who are paving the way for authentic and inclusive productions. Panelists include: Alex Schmider, director of Transgender Representation at GLAAD; Andria Wilson Mirza, director of ReFrame; Crystal Echo Hawk, founder and executive director of IllumiNative; Kyle Bowser, senior vice president of the NAACP Hollywood Bureau, and Nic Novicki, founder of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. The panel will be moderated by Latasha Gillespie, global head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility for Amazon Studios and Prime Video, with an introduction from Nikki Santoro, chief operating officer of IMDb. 

Saturday, January 21

Creating with Pride: Queer South Asian Artists

3 – 4PM MT

South Asian Lodge at The Shop Yoga Studio

Sundance Film Festival’s Shari Frilot introduces this GLAAD-sponsored panel moderated by Anthony Allen Ramos (GLAAD) and featuring Nik Dodani (Atypical, Dear Evan Hansen), Nisha Ganatra (Late Night, Welcome to Chippendales), Fawzia Mirza (Signature Move, Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night), and Nani Sahra Walker (LA Times Studios), South Asian creatives who bring their LGBTQ+ perspectives to their work in Hollywood and beyond.

GLAAD at Sundance Mixer

Meredith Marks Boutique (invite only)

Come enjoy bites and drinks with the GLAAD team and learn what’s in store for 2023. 

Sunday, January 22

Gold House, TAAF and 3AD present Shortcomings

Riverhorse on Main (Invite only)

Actor Randall Park makes his feature directorial debut with the adaptation of Adrian Tomine’s graphic novel of the same name which presents seldom-asked questions when it comes to marginalized communities. The film, which premieres at the fest on January 22, stars Justin H. Min, Sherry Cola, and Ally Maki who will join Park in a conversation with GLAAD’s Dino-Ray Ramos. 

Outfest Outpost

Acura Lounge on Main Street

This multi-day experience begins January 22 and features LGBTQIA+ talent from Sundance and beyond. There will be in-person panels as well as streaming panels on the OutMuseum and the return of the Outfest Queer Brunch at Sundance virtually for its 26th year. Here are highlights of this year’s in-person programming.

THE ROAD TO ABUNDANCE: FROM SUNDANCE AND OUTFEST TO THE OSCARS: In today’s entertainment industry landscape, more queer, trans and nonbinary artists find themselves in the awards conversation, on the prestige festival circuit, and inking major deals, and yet, we still observe many LGBTQIA+ artists and stories facing closed doors, unfulfilled projects, and no seats at the table. In a panel featuring artists currently on the Oscars shortlist, or premiering major works at Sundance, we’ll discuss how they’ve managed to forge creative resilience and artistic innovation while defining their own path of abundance. From discovering unique definitions of success, responding to challenges on the journey, and maintaining personal wellness in an often inconsistent industry environment, we’re celebrating storytellers cultivating a landscape where a truly abundant, intersectional wealth of LGBTQIA+ stories reach their full potential. Featuring Dania Bdeir (Warsha), Jen Rainin (Holding Moses), Chester Algernal Gordon (The Inspection), Saim Sadiq (Joyland), and Zackary Drucker (The Stroll). Moderated by Martine McDonald, Outfest.

OUTFEST x GLAAD LGBTQIA+ ACTORS ROUNDTABLE: Some of the most exciting acting talent featured in Sundance festival selections gather to discuss how their current projects amplify their experience in the LGBTQIA+ community, and how they see the industry shifting and responding to the call for more authentic representation and inclusion from the queer community. Featuring Lio Mehiel (Mutt), Bobbi Salvör Menuez (My Animal), Travina Springer (To Live And Die And Live), Zoe Terakes (Talk To Me), Moderated by Emil Wilbekin, Founder of Native Son

SUBVERTING MARGINALIZATION: HOW WE TELL OUR OWN STORIES – A FIRESIDECHAT FEATURING READYSET x D.SMITH: ReadySet is a diversity, equity and inclusion firm that helps companies build more human-centric, inclusive cultures, teams, and products. ReadySet values the power of storytelling to affect societal change and delivers impactful solutions for entertainment industry clients such as The Television Academy, Westbrook, A24, Netflix, and more. For this Fireside Chat, ReadySet Founder and CEO, Y-Vonne Hutchinson sits down with 2-time Grammy-nominated producer, filmmaker, and director of Sundance 2023 selection Kokomo City, D. Smith. She discusses the lessons that she applied from her time in the high-pressure music business to create a film set rooted in fairness and inclusion, especially for participants from historically marginalized and excluded communities.

Monday, January 23

Joy as Cultural Innovation

Seed & Sparks Presents Innovators’ House 

As part of this multi-day event at Innovators’ House presented by Seed & Sparks, this panel will feature activists and creators pushing beyond trauma-porn-as-representation and using the power of celebration, humor and joy to shift how we feel about ourselves, each other and our future together. Panelists include: Imani Wilson Shabazz (Plan C Pills), Alex Schmider (GLAAD), and Codie Elaine Oliver (Black Love Inc.), and filmmaker Elaine McMillion Sheldon.

GLAAD Presents “From The Stroll to Sundance: How One Documentary Came to Be and a Path to Reclaiming Transgender Narratives” 

2-3:30 PM MT

The Box Theater at the Ray 

GLAAD is honored to host an intimate conversation with The Stroll co-directors Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker. GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos will moderate a discussion about how this new documentary reclaims ownership and shifts the lens on trans storytelling prior to the documentary’s official 2023 Sundance Film Festival premiere. Open to festival attendees.

Mutt. The Premiere Party.

MACRO House (invite only)

Sponsored by AT&T Presents: Untold Stories and GLAAD. The cast and filmmakers celebrate the Sundance premiere of writer/director Vuk Lungulov-Klotz’s debut feature film.