The Sundance Institute today announced the lineup for its 2025 Short Film Program, presented by Vimeo. A total of fifty-seven short films, selected from a highly competitive pool of 11,153 submissions (4,909 from the U.S. and 6,244 international), will be showcased in eight curated programs. These films represent a remarkable diversity of styles, perspectives, and geographical origins, hailing from 28 countries and territories. The selected works encompass a wide range of genres, including fiction, nonfiction, and animation, promising a rich and varied cinematic experience.
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival will take place both in person and online. In-person screenings will be held in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, from January 23rd to February 2nd, 2025. For those unable to attend in person, a selection of films will be available online from January 30th to February 2nd, 2025, allowing audiences across the country to participate in the festival. Access to almost all short films on-demand (January 30–February 2) is available by purchasing a Short Films Pass: Online, which is currently on sale. Single Film Tickets for both in-person and online screenings go on sale January 16th at 10 a.m. MT. Members of the Sundance Institute enjoy a pre-sale for Single Film Tickets.
The selection of these 57 short films reflects the Sundance Institute’s commitment to showcasing emerging talent and innovative storytelling. Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming, expressed excitement about sharing the program, emphasizing that the projects, “varied in style and substance…represent the power of short-form storytelling beautifully.” Mike Plante, Senior Programmer, Short Film, further highlighted the program’s focus on “fresh styles and unique stories,” noting that the short format “encourages innovation.” He anticipates that audiences will discover “much of the next generation of film talent” within these eight diverse programs.
The Sundance Film Festival has a long and distinguished history of supporting innovative short films, providing a launchpad for numerous successful filmmakers. Past participants in the Short Film Program include notable names such as Andrea Arnold, Lake Bell, Damien Chazelle, Destin Daniel Cretton, and many others, highlighting the program’s impact on the careers of talented individuals. The Sundance Institute’s commitment to short filmmaking extends beyond the annual festival. The organization actively supports this art form year-round through the Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour, which presents a selection of festival shorts at theaters across the U.S. and internationally.
A partial list of the selected films, categorized by genre (U.S. Fiction, International Fiction, Animation, and Nonfiction), is included in the full press release. This list includes titles such as An Almost Successful Dating App Love Story, Azi, and Debaters (U.S. Fiction); Almost Certainly False (Turkey, International Fiction); Bunnyhood (U.K., Animation). The complete list of films selected for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Program is available on the Sundance Film Festival website.
The Sundance Institute also released director demographic information. Of the 57 short films, 28 (50%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as women; 9 (16%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as nonbinary or gender-nonconforming individuals; 34 (62%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as people of color; 28 (56%) by one or more filmmakers who identify as LGBTQ+; 3 (6%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as transgender; and 8 (15%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as a person with a disability. This data reflects information provided directly by the artists; some artists chose not to self-identify in all data areas.
The Sundance Institute, a non-profit organization founded by Robert Redford, champions independent storytelling. The organization supports artists through labs, grants, and mentorship programs, and hosts the Sundance Film Festival. The Sundance Film Festival, a program of the Sundance Institute, is supported by numerous sponsors including Acura, AMC+, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Adobe, and others. The State of Utah is recognized as the Festival Host State. More information about the festival and its sponsors can be found on the festival website.
