Tessa Thompson and More Join Sundance Institute Board of Trustees

Samantha Bergeson
·3 min read
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Actress Tessa Thompson has officially joined the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees.

The “Creed” actress and producer, along with documentarian Pete Nicks and producers Nina Fialkow and Kimberly Steward, comprise the new additions to the Board. Per an official press release, the foursome are now among the “leaders who guide and steer the entire organization and also act in an advisory capacity.”

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Thompson said in a statement, “Both the Sundance Film Festival and the Institute have served as an artistic home for me throughout my career. I’m proud to expand this journey by joining the board to eagerly serve a community that has been so incredibly impactful to me and countless others.”

The new trustees will closely work with Board Chair Ebs Burnough and CEO Joana Vicente to usher in the next wave of rising filmmakers.

“As Sundance Institute continues to respond to the needs of independent artists, we welcome these new members of our Board, each of whom has an incredible commitment to independent film and a long history with the Institute,” Sundance Institute Board Chair Ebs Burnough said. “Together, the Board is poised to identify new and strengthened ways to uplift independent storytellers.”

Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente added, “We are so pleased to have Tessa, Pete, Nina, and Kimberly join as Trustees on the Board of Sundance Institute. They bring expertise and valuable perspectives that will be meaningful as we continue to evolve as a cultural organization.”

Current members Institute board members include: Robert Redford, President & Founder; Ebs Burnough, Chair; Sean Bailey, Vice Chair; Gigi Pritzker, Vice Chair; Jason Blum, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Philipp Engelhorn, Caterina Fake, Jeanne Donovan Fisher, Robert J. Frankenberg, Patrick Gaspard, Donna Gruneich, Cindy Harrell Horn, Uzodinma Iweala, Amanda Kelso, Charles D. King, Lyn Davis Lear, Ann Lewnes, Wonya Lucas, Alejandro Ramírez Magaña, Shripriya Mahesh, Pat Mitchell, Bill Plapinger, Amy Redford, Geoffrey K. Sands, Nadine Schiff-Rosen, Barry Tyerman, and Lulu Wang.

Documentary filmmaker Nicks (“The Waiting Room”) reflected on his experience with the Sundance Film Festival in a statement.

“I drove out to my first Sundance in 1999 in what was likely a highly unreliable vehicle. But I made it and got to see my film school professor Jon Else hoist what was then known as the Filmmaker’s Trophy for his documentary ‘Sing Faster: The Stagehands’ Ring Cycle.’ I was hooked and lucky enough to be invited over the years with my own films,” Nicks said. “I’m now beyond thrilled to join the board of trustees and play a role in the evolution of this magical organization.”

Nicks’ “Homeroom,” the final film in his vérité Oakland trilogy, won the inaugural Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. His most recent film “Stephen Curry: Underrated,” premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

Oscar-nominated producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Steward (“Manchester By the Sea”) shared, “Sundance Institute is one of the most influential organizations that supports emerging creative talent. They have supported my career and company since its inception in 2013. I am honored to be a part of a community that provides resources and programs to incubate and curate diverse talent onscreen and off-screen.”

Steward recently produced “The Accidental Getaway Driver” which won the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. In 2023, Steward and the K Period Media Foundation partnered with Blumhouse and collaborated with Sundance to launch the Screamwriters Fellowship.

BAFTA, Oscar, and Emmy-winning producer Fialkow, who is a member of social justice film funding group Impact Partners, summed up, “As a longtime attendee of the Sundance Film Festival and supporter of the institute, I am thrilled to join the board of trustees and look forward to being fully engaged.”

With these additions, the Sundance Institute board comprises 32 people, 14 of whom self-identify as BIPOC. The board is 44 percent men and 56 percent women.

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