As the Sundance Film Festival heads to Boulder for the first time in January, it will bring a major new partner along. Merrell, the beloved footwear brand known for its hiking boots and other outdoor apparel, has announced a three-year partnership with Sundance tied to its new “It Starts Outside” marketing initiative.
The partnership will support filmmakers worldwide tasked with making shorts about what “outside” means to them. Each filmmaker will receive $20,000 to make a 60-90 second film produced through a three-month mentorship program with Sundance. It will culminate in an event with a live screening and filmmaker panel during the festival in Boulder.
Six filmmakers have been selected for the initial phase of the program: Sharon Liese, Ciril Jazbec, Jean Luke Miraflore, Laura Basil Duncan, Gabriella Canal, and Quinne Larsen.
“Sundance Collab is a perfect partner for ‘It Starts Outside’ because it brings together world-class filmmakers from different backgrounds, each with a distinct way of telling stories,” Richard McLeod, Chief Marketing Officer at Merrell, said in a statement. “When we introduced ‘It Starts Outside’ earlier this year, we shared our belief that even the simplest moments outdoors can spark something meaningful. Through this partnership, filmmakers from around the world will bring that belief to life through human interest stories that show what the outside can unlock in us, how it connects us and the many ways it can shape our lives.”
“At Sundance Collab, our mission is to champion independent storytellers from every corner of the globe, and this partnership with Merrell bridges a vital space for emerging artists. This initiative offers filmmakers a rare opportunity to not only learn the fundamentals of brand-supported storytelling and discover new career pathways as directors, but to actually receive the funding and mentorship needed to make and release their films with the support of a world-class brand like Merrell,” said Patty West, director, Sundance Collab. “Sundance Institute has always loved supporting storytellers as they unpack the power, connection, and personal transformation that comes with stepping outside, and we look forward to watching this global cohort thrive.”
The 2027 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 21-31 in Boulder, Colorado.
