Reflections from Sundance 2025
February 04, 2025
Since 2018, JPCatholic has offered an elective credit experience traveling to Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT. Students and faculty network with other filmmakers and attend a wide variety of film screenings at the largest independent film fest in the nation. A unique highlight of the trip is the Windrider Summit, which features panels bringing together Christian universities and filmmakers to discuss the films through a theological lens.
This year, Profs. Eleazar Palma, Nathan Scoggins, and Kaitlyn Krikorian accompanied eight students to the festival. Below are reflections from several students on their experiences:
Anna Grace Hood
Senior, Screenwriting
Main takeaways: Prior to my enrollment here, I never expected that I would be given the chance to attend the Sundance Film Festival. Thankfully this year, I did. It was amazing to sit down in a theater full of people every day and watch films from some of the greatest independent filmmakers from the last year. At Sundance, you get to meet creatives who not only have made amazing work, but are also willing to look you in the eye, shake your hand, and tell you to keep doing what you're doing. It was encouraging, it was thrilling, and it was the most fun I've had in a long time.
Favorite film of Sundance? The film I think on almost everyone's mind from our group at Sundance was Clint Bentley's feature film TRAIN DREAMS, an adaptation of the novella by Denis Johnson. It follows a lumberjack in Idaho through the early 20th century and takes us on a journey through his pitfalls, successes, and reflects an amazing lesson about how everyone is important and has a place in the world, even if they aren't remembered.
Justin Maynard
Senior, Film Production & Screenwriting
Main takeaways: As someone who wants to get into the indie scene, Sundance helped me to further understand what it means to be entering a connections-based industry. I look back to the casual interactions I've had with people who would give me their names and just say to look them up regarding business inquiries. To my surprise, I would see them on IMDb with credits in 25+ titles I recognized.
Favorite film of Sundance? It would be tricky to choose just one, as I've found myself admiring films through both personal preference and definitive critique. My best viewing experience and the film that I liked the most would be Michael Shanks' horror film TOGETHER. I admired the film's original premise and found the humor in its most tense scenes to work surprisingly well. However, of the ones I've seen, the film that I felt was best, personal taste aside, was Clint Bentley's TRAIN DREAMS. The film was a masterfully done story that embraces both the tragedy and beauty that life has to offer.
Rebecca Saladino
Senior, Film Directing
Main takeaways: The Sundance experience was the highlight of my JPCatholic journey. It inspired me to keep making films even if they are small or insignificant at this time. A lot of the filmmakers that I talked to said that sticking with it was what gave them their big break, not giving up and continuing on.
Favorite film of Sundance? My favorite film was TWINLESS because it had so many twists and turns and there was a dark comedic element which I loved! The director was also the producer, writer and lead actor and I loved his ambition and commitment to the project.