An Emersonian’s Guide to Sundance 2026

Comedian Iliza Shlesinger ’05 wrote, produced, and stars in Chasing Summer, one of several feature films, documentaries, TV shows, and shorts created by Emerson alums and screening at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, running from January 22 to February 1.

Alums planning to be in Utah during the festival are invited to attend Emerson@Sundance, a networking brunch in a beautiful mountain setting in Deer Valley, being held on Saturday, January 24, 10:00 am–1:00 pm. MST. Registration is limited and attendees must RSVP ahead of time.

Chasing Summer, about a woman who flees to her hometown and reconnects with high school flings and friends after losing her job and boyfriend, screens in the Premieres category, and was co-executive produced by Thomas Pettinelli ’13.

Alex Huston Fischer ’08, with his wife, Eleanor Wilson, co-wrote and directed Wicker, a star-studded (Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgard, Elizabeth Debicki, Peter Dinklage) fable, based on a short story by Ursula Wills, about a fisherwoman who asks a basketmaker to weave her a husband.

Jim Cummings ’09 (Thunder Road) created, directed, and stars in The Screener, a series about what happens when an independent film screener gets leaked from a talent agency. Cummings’ longtime collaborator P.J. McCabe ’09 also directed the series, with Mike McGarry ’10 as a producer.

Cinematographer Lowell A. Meyer ’11 shot two entries in this year’s festival:Tuner, starring Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman, about a piano tuner who puts his skills to work cracking safes; and The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist, which follows a father-to-be as he tries to figure out artificial intelligence and whether or not to be afraid of it. The AI Doc was produced by Daniel Kwan ’10, one half of filmmaking power duo The Daniels (Everything Everywhere All at Once).

Alums planning to be in Utah during the festival are invited to attend Emerson@Sundance, a networking brunch in a beautiful mountain setting in Deer Valley being held on Saturday, January 24, 10:00 am–1:00 pm. MST. Registration is limited and attendees must RSVP ahead of time.

Other Emersonians to watch at Sundance:

David Lipper ’91 produced Carousel, about a divorced doctor (Chris Pine) who reconnects with his high school girlfriend (Jenny Slate).

Julie Christeas ’99 produced the feature film Run Amok, in which a teenager stages an elaborate musical about a tragedy at her high school.

Marcia Smith ’80 was executive producer of American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, a documentary about the filmmaker behind Zoot Suit and La Bamba.

Harry Vaughn ’10 produced the documentary All About the Money, which follows Fergie Chambers, heir to one of the wealthiest families in America, who uses his money to fund people and projects that work to destroy the capitalism that produced him. Vaughn also executive produced Some Kind of Refuge, a documentary short about two elderly members of a fading outsider community in New Orleans.

Meghan Currier ’06 was music supervisor on Queen of Chess, a documentary about Hungarian chess prodigy Judit Polgár, who challenged world champion Garry Kasparov and broke down the game’s patriarchal culture.

George Loucas ’04 was visual effects supervisor on Rock Springs, a horror film in which a young girl who moves to a new house after the death of her father and discovers something hideous in the woods behind the home.

Two alums worked on Union County, a feature film about a man who embarks on a journey of recovery from an opioid addiction. Elliot Barnes ’15 was first assistant camera and Sarah Takizawa-MacLean ’16 was second assistant camera.

Ryan Mazie ’14 was executive producer of Luigi, a documentary short about the public’s reaction to Luigi Mangione, the man charged with murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Austin Plocher ’11 was sound mixer on The History of Concrete, an offbeat meta documentary in which the filmmaker attends a workshop on writing and selling Hallmark movies, then tries to use the same formula to sell a documentary about concrete.

Four alums worked onThe Only Living Pickpocket in New York, about a veteran pickpocket (John Turturro) sent to reclaim stolen goods. Sasha Grossman ’09 was makeup department head, Kyra Boselli ’16 was art department coordinator, Kaili Corcoran ’16 was set decorator buyer, and Cara Conaway ’18 was second second assistant director. Conaway also was second second assistant director on Josephine, about an 8-year-old girl who struggles after witnessing a crime in Golden Gate Park.

Riley Donigan ’19 wrote and directed the short Stairs, about a woman who becomes addicted to throwing herself down flights of stairs.

Jason Barnoski ’02 was editor on Seniors, a short depicting a high school senior who goes on his first college tour on the day his parents’ marriage begins to fall apart.

And screening in Sundance’s Legacy category, 1990’s House Party, a teen comedy starring hip hop duo Kid ’N Play, features actor Clifton Powell ’78 as Sharane’s brother.

Did we miss anyone? Let us know at alumni@emerson.edu.