The Sundance Institute has named three new honorees to be feted at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival’s fundraiser, Celebrating Sundance Institute: A Tribute to Founder Robert Redford, taking place at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley in Utah on Friday, January 23, 2026.
Hamnet director Chloé Zhao will receive the Trailblazer Award, with Hedda helmer Nia DaCosta to receive the Vanguard Award for Fiction, and The Perfect Neighbor‘s Geeta Gandbhir to receive the Vanguard Award for Nonfiction.
Additional special guest participants will include Amy Redford, Ava DuVernay, Ethan Hawke, David Lowery, Tessa Thompson, and more. As previously announced, the evening will be a tribute to Sundance Institute’s Founder, Robert Redford, who passed away this fall, with the inaugural Robert Redford Luminary Award to be presented to Gyula Gazdag and Ed Harris.
Recognizing an artist’s unwavering dedication and notable contributions to the field of independent film, the Trailblazer Award has previously been presented to the likes of Christopher Nolan and James Mangold.
“Sundance Institute was where my journey as a filmmaker truly began, so to be honored with the Trailblazer Award by this community feels like coming home,” said Zhao. “I’m deeply grateful for the support, friendship, and inspiration I’ve found here over the years, and I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of this empathetic and fearless community of storytellers.”
The Vanguard Awards honor emerging artists whose work highlights the art of storytelling and creative independence in both fiction and nonfiction. Previous honorees include Sean Wang, Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie, Celine Song, Maite Alberdi, Ryan Coogler, W. Kamau Bell, Nikyatu Jusu, Siân Heder, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Radha Blank, Lulu Wang, Boots Riley, Dee Rees, Marielle Heller, Damien Chazelle, Benh Zeitlin, and more.
Said DaCosta, “It is such an honor to be receiving the Vanguard Award from the Sundance Film Festival. It’s also incredibly fitting because all of the qualities of creative independence and intentional storytelling I am being recognized for are things I learned there, on the mountain during the Sundance Institute labs with Bob Redford, Michelle Satter, and their wonderful team. I can’t wait to accept this award, but most importantly I cannot wait to celebrate Bob, the Festival, and all of the amazing filmmakers in Park City next year.”
Gandbhir said, for her part, “For many years, the Sundance Film Festival has been a guiding light for me — a place where bold, uncompromising stories find their home. The Festival has always embodied the kind of filmmaking I strive for: courageous, deeply human, and unafraid to confront difficult truths. What has meant the most to me is how the Festival continues to build community — one that not only celebrates artistic excellence but actively uplifts underrepresented voices and filmmakers who challenge the status quo. As someone whose work is rooted in justice, empathy, and the power of storytelling to spark change, being recognized with the Vanguard Award is profoundly meaningful. I’m deeply honored to be part of this community and this legacy of truth-telling and transformation.”
The Sundance Institute’s annual fundraiser enables the nonprofit to raise funds to support artists year-round through labs, intensives, grants, fellowships, a continuum of support, and public programming. This year’s Sundance Film Festival is set to take place in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah from January 22–February 1, 2026, with the at-home program available online from January 29–February 1.
