At the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, the Sloan Foundation awarded $51,000 to three projects in script-stage to help develop them toward feature films with the help of the Sundance Film Institute.

WHAT THE EYES DON’T SEE is written and directed by Cherein Dabis (AMREEKA) based on the true story of how Iraqi-American pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha uncovered the lead poisoning the drinking waters in Flint, Michigan. Rosalie Swedlin (THE ALIENIST), is attached as a producer, and Oscar-winning producer Michael Sugar (SPOTLIGHT) is the executive producer. The Commissioning Grant winner, the project was awarded $20,000 to support the writing period, $5,000 for a science advisor to ensure the accuracy of the script, and the support of the Sundance Institute and its network of film professionals.

C. Wrenn Ball attended the 2018 Sundance Labs with support of the Sloan Foundation to develop his script KATIE WRIGHT, about the Wright Brothers’ sister and her role in inventing and selling the first airplanes. In addition to attending the Labs, Ball received $10,000 to support writing of the script, and $5,000 for a science advisor, as well as support of the Sundance Institute’s professionals. Science & Film interviewed Ball about the project.

For his series about financier J.P. Morgan, John Lopez (STRANGE ANGEL) was awarded the third annual Sloan Episodic Storytelling Grant. Lopez received $11,000 to support his writing of the scripted series, and will attend Sundance’s Episodic Story Lab in October of 2018.

Also at Sundance, the feature film SEARCH won the Sloan Feature Film Prize. For more, read Science & Film’s interview with its directors.

This is the fifteenth year of the Sloan Foundation’s partnership with the Sundance Film Institute. It has helped to develop such films as Michael Almereyda’s EXPERIMENTER, and given prizes to films such as Shane Carruth’s PRIMER and Mike Cahill’s ANOTHER EARTH.

photo: (c) 2018 Sundance Film Festival Stephen Speckman