Ahead of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, which kicks off on January 23 through to February 2, the nonprofit Sundance Institute has announced the fellows selected for the 2025 Screenwriters Lab and Screenwriters Intensive programs.
The Screenwriters Lab, which provides emerging artists with a creative and nurturing space to develop their first and second independent features, saw 10 projects selected from over 3,380 submissions, and 11 fellows will work under the guidance of accomplished creative advisors to develop their scripts. The program will take place from January 18–22 at the Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah.
Among the exciting talent is director Diffan Sina Norman with his film Sitora, a FANGORIA Studios project that follows:
A young doctor arrives in a Malay village to establish its first health clinic, but his mandate is soon challenged by an enterprising shaman who operates a protection racket for an elusive half-man, half-tiger.
Norman, an Malaysian Iranian filmmaker based in Northeast Texas, returns to Sundance after his short films Kekasih (2014), Benevolent Ba (2020), and Pasture Prime (2024) premiered at the festival, as well as SXSW. Sitora is also recipient of the Sundance Institute Horror Fellowship.
Michelle Satter, Founding Senior Director, Sundance Institute’s Artist Programs, expressed her excitement for the new batch of talent:
“We are honored to welcome a new group of visionary filmmakers who have created powerful, culture-changing stories through their work […] The Screenwriters Lab marks the start of our in-depth development process with these 11 fiercely talented writer/directors. We look forward to seeing their projects flourish at the labs and will continue to support their filmmaking journey creatively and strategically as they move forward to get their films made and captivate audiences around the world.”
For a full rundown of all directors and writers selected for the Screenwriters Lab and Screenwriters Intensive programs, head over to the official Sundance site, and keep your eyes peeled for more Sitora news as it rolls in.
