The last two weeks of January, two cohorts of UNLV film students traded the desert for snow-capped mountains and industry buzz as they traveled to Park City, Utah, for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Supported by a generous donation from the Brenden-Mann Foundation, 24 students attended this year’s festival over two weeks that shift the center of the entertainment industry from Hollywood to Park City, Utah. From working behind the scenes with Indiewire to screening world premieres and connecting with professionals, the experience was - as it has been for 25 years - nothing short of transformative.
An early highlight of the trip was the unique opportunity for several students to volunteer with leading entertainment news outlet Indiewire as production support during the first week of the festival. From shooting B-roll to editing filmmaker and actor interviews in real-time, the students gained intensive professional experience in a fast-paced media environment.
"My experience working closely with Indiewire producers Mary Pelloni and Trevor Wallace had the most impact on me," said UNLV Film sophomore Lily Magdesyan. "Even though my time there was brief, the amount of knowledge and experience that I gained from working with them was tremendous."
Beyond the technical work, the students were active participants in the festival's screenings and panels. For many, seeing films before they reached the public and hearing directly from filmmakers about their challenges and victories was a powerful motivator.
The group also took part in networking events hosted by the UNLV College of Fine Arts, including an annual mixer that brought together students, alumni, and working professionals. For the first time, this year’s mixer included a panel discussion moderated by UNLV Film Chair Dr. Heather Addison on ‘Bridges to Industry’ featuring Professors Brock Norman Brock, May May Luong, Adam Paul and Brett Levner on the continuing programs and courses that build those bridges for students from the classroom to the profession.
Each cohort was able to participate in Filmmaker Lunches allowing students to engage in candid conversations with working professionals, including director and Sundance Latine Fellow Michelle Salcedo and ACE Award winning film editor J.P. Bernardo. Both Salcedo and Bernardo shared stories from their own career journeys, offered practical advice, and encouraged students to stay curious, persistent, and open to collaboration.
Adding to the excitement of this year’s festival was the world premiere of Ryan White’s “Come See Me in the Good Light,” edited by UNLV Film alum Berenice Chavez (‘13). The film went on to win the prestigious Sundance Festival Favorite Award.
(For more on Chavez’s journey, listen to The Film Dept. Podcast, UNLV Film’s movie review podcast, on Spotify or Apple Podcasts)
Reflecting on the experience of attending this legendary event for the first time, 2024 UNLV Film alum Celine Ochoa perhaps encapsulated it best: “You get to participate in this communal love for filmmaking (and) these directors and actors that I’ve only ever seen on the big screen were walking alongside me and aren’t on this pedestal…participating in the same love for artistry."