Best Sundance Institute Podcasts (2025)

1
Exploring Trauma, Healing & the Creative Process with Author LIZ MOORE - Highlights 12:13

7d ago12:13

12:13

“I think income inequality really greatly contributes to the rage that people might feel, even as some Americans won't. What don't recognize that a more communal society might benefit them. What they see instead is, why don't I have what that person has? Something's getting in my way. And it's not a lack of, of community, it's: somebody else is kee…

1
The Visual Strategy 13:26

8d ago13:26

13:26

What happens when a perfectly planned shot list collides with the unexpected reality of actors on a set? In this episode of Visium, we explore a common yet critical moment filmmakers face: when reality challenges preparation—and improvisation becomes essential. Starting with a story every director and cinematographer can relate to, we dive deep int…

1
Family, Addiction & Overcoming Trauma - LIZ MOORE on Long Bright River starring AMANDA SEYFRIED 49:08

8d ago49:08

49:08

“ I've lived in Philadelphia for about 16 years. The book itself was inspired by my time spent in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia interviewing a lot of the people that I met there, both longtime residents of the neighborhood and also people who were transient, a lot of people struggling with addiction and a lot of women doing sex work…

1
PAUL LYNCH discusses Prophet Song, Beyond the Sea & his Creative Process - Highlights 18:19

14d ago18:19

18:19

"The country spoke Irish largely before it spoke English. Grammatically, the structure of Irish is different from English. As Ireland adopted the English language, this sort of hybridization started to occur, where the English language was placed on top of Irish grammatical constructions. You get this slipperiness, this ability to move sentences, t…

1
On Storytelling, Film & The Human Condition w/ Booker Prize Winner, Fmr. Film Journalist PAUL LYNCH 48:39

15d ago48:39

48:39

“We narrate the story of our lives to ourselves. We narrate it in linear fashion. And I know many writers have played with time in all sorts of amazing ways, but we're storytellers. This is what we do. And if you give the brain a story, a prepackaged story, you're giving a cheesecake. That's what it wants. That's why it loves stories. That's why o…

1
From Words to Images 17:44

22d ago17:44

17:44

There’s one question that never fails to make filmmakers squirm: What’s your story? It sounds simple, but the answer isn’t always obvious. In this episode of Visium, we unpack why that question is so hard to answer—and why it might be the most important one a filmmaker can ask. We also explore why the screenplay doesn’t hand you the story outright.…

1
ADAM MOSS - Fmr. Editor of New York Magazine, Author, Artist on Creativity as a Process - Highlights 14:23

24d ago14:23

14:23

“When I was working at the Times and the Times Magazine, on one Tuesday morning, the towers fell. September 11, 2001. The magazine had a 10-day lead time, so it was a weekly that was essentially 10 days old by the time it came out. We came to work and realized the world had changed, and the entire process, the magazine had been made for over a hund…

1
The Visual Story 12:16

1M ago12:16

12:16

Would you walk onto a stage in front of 500 people without knowing exactly what you want to say? Probably not. Yet, many filmmakers do something similar when they step onto set without a clear vision for their images. In this episode of Visium, we dive into what makes images in film truly work—not just as pretty pictures, but as powerful storytelli…

1
Unforgettable Images 10:42

2M ago10:42

10:42

What makes an image truly unforgettable? Think of the Afghan Girl’s piercing stare, Muhammad Ali towering over his opponent, or Neo stopping bullets in The Matrix. These images don’t just capture a moment—they tell a story that sticks with us. But what’s the secret behind them? In this first episode of Visium, Tal Lazar dives into the hidden langua…

1
Feminism in the 21st Century 17:10

2M ago17:10

17:10

How has feminism changed in light of the way we live now? DEAN SPADE (Author of Love in a F*cked Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up & Raise Hell Together) on recognizing political conditions in personal relationships. MARILYN MINTER (Artist, Feminist) on sexual agency, beauty & her creative process. TEY MEADOW (Author of Trans Kids: Bein…

1
Inside the Mind of PETER WELLER, Actor, Art Historian, Director, Musician, Author - Highlights 13:57

2M ago13:57

13:57

Peter Weller is a renowned theater and Hollywood actor. His performances in films such as RoboCop and Naked Lunch garnered him much critical and commercial success over the years. His television acting and directing credits include Sons of Anarchy, Dexter, and 24. Unbeknownst to most, Weller has spent decades honing his appreciation for the visual …

1
From RoboCop to the Renaissance w/ Actor, Art Historian, Director, Musician, Author PETER WELLER 1:11:27

2M ago1:11:27

1:11:27

“I met Miles backstage at the Hollywood Bowl—the last gig he ever played. Miles asked, “Who’s that white boy?” I introduced him to Bob Thiele Jr., whose father produced Coltrane. When Miles discovered this, he said, “Well, you can hang,” following this friendly gesture with me walking Miles to his car. I did not know he was dying. I kissed him on b…

1
The Creative Process w/ JULIE ANDREWS, PAUL SCHRADER, JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY, ETGAR KERET, JOY GORMAN WETTELS, CHAYSE IRVIN, MANUEL BILLETER 14:03

3M ago14:03

14:03

JULIE ANDREWS (Oscar, Tony & Pulitzer Prize-winning Actress & Singer · The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins) Andrews shares her experience working on Mary Poppins, revealing behind-the-scenes secrets about the character. She reminisces about her collaboration with Walt Disney and Tony Walton. ETGAR KERET (Cannes Film Festival Award-winning Director & A…

1
Relationships, Writing, Dyselxia & The Creative Process w/ Director SOPHIE BROOKS 10:20

3M ago10:20

10:20

“In reality, we're all complex people with feelings and our own sets of baggage. I do think we are very good at self-sabotage, all of us. It's a very easy road to go down. It's safe because it's comfortable, and we know it. When you can find the ways you self-sabotage and try to stop that, it will hopefully lead to a happier life and things that ar…

1
Modern Love - Writer, Director SOPHIE BROOKS on her new film OH, HI! 49:12

3M ago49:12

49:12

What is love? How do the relationships we have early in our lives affect us for years to come? How can we break free from cycles of damage to form relationships of mutual understanding, respect, and love? Sophie Brooks is a London-born, Brooklyn-based writer and director. Her sophomore feature Oh, Hi! premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.…

1
From Spy Thrillers to Police Dramas w/ Writer, Creator, Showrunner ALEXI HAWLEY 13:08

3M ago13:08

13:08

“There used to be a time when leading men were okay with falling down as a character. Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones is a prime example of that. Even going back to the fifties, they understood that failure and falling down, but getting back up, is an endearing quality. It's a universal human quality. We have gotten to a point in the last 10 or 15 y…

1
Behind the Scenes of The Rookie & The Recruit w/ Showrunner ALEXI HAWLEY 40:43

3M ago40:43

40:43

How can we improve the way we train and recruit police officers? Can TV dramas serve as positive models for policing and help foster community? Alexi Hawley is the creator of ABC’s The Rookie, starring Nathan Fillion, and Netflix's The Recruit, an espionage drama starring Noah Centineo that, in season two, explores the legal defense tactic 'graymai…

1
How Art Helps Us Understand the World - Filmmakers, Writers & Artists Share their Stories 11:52

4M ago11:52

11:52

How do our personal lives influence the art we make? JIM SHEPARD (Author of The Book of Aron, Project X, & The World to Come starring Casey Affleck, Vanessa Kirby, Katherine Waterston · Winner of the PEN New England Award, The Story Prize) explores historical human dilemmas, the emotional imagination and literature's role in extending empathetic un…

1
THREE WOMEN starring Shailene Woodley, DeWanda Wise, Betty Gilpin: Conversation w/ LAURA EASON - Highlights 12:43

4M ago12:43

12:43

“I think the show conveys to the women watching that their lives matter. They don't have to be some gorgeous aspirational person, although Sloane absolutely fits that mold. But for others living in the Midwest, struggling and feeling unseen, hopefully, the mirrors of Lina and Maggie will help them not feel so alone and remind them that their storie…

1
Female Desire, Sex & Intimacy: Emmy-nominated Producer, Writer, Playwright LAURA EASON on THREE WOMEN 52:43

4M ago52:43

52:43

What is love? How do the narratives we internalize shape our understanding of relationships, intimacy, and family? Laura Eason is an Emmy-nominated producer, screenwriter, and playwright. Currently, she is the executive producer and showrunner of the Starz drama series Three Women. Based on a book by Lisa Taddeo, the series stars Shailene Woodley, …

1
How Does Art Shape Our Lives? Musicians, Writers, Filmmakers & Actors Share Their Stories 11:22

4M ago11:22

11:22

How do the arts help us find purpose and meaning? What role do stories play in helping us preserve memories, connect us to each other, and answer life’s big questions? MAX RICHTER(Award-winning Composer & Pianist · His album Sleep is the most streamed classical album of all time) reflects on the importance of creativity and how literature, music, a…

1
Shaping Iranian Diasporic Identities in Times of Crisis & Change: A Conversation with Persis Karim & Roya Ahmadi 37:17

5M ago37:17

37:17

In this episode on Speaking Out of Place podcast Professor David Palumbo-Liu talks with Professor Persis Karim, co-producer and co-director of a new documentary film, The Dawn is Too Far: Stories of Iranian-American Life. She is joined by Roya Ahmadi, a student at Stanford who interned at the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies at San Francisco Sta…

1
Art, Creativity & Intuition - Filmmakers, Musicians & Artists discuss their Creative Process 16:04

5M ago16:04

16:04

Where does our intuition come from? How are lifelong creative partnerships formed and what role do friendship and personal connection play? How do our personal lives influence the art we make? Erland Cooper (Scottish composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist) explores the emotional and transformative effects of music and visual arts. He undersc…

1
Art & Empathy: Filmmakers, Writers & Artists on Connecting through Creativity 9:30

5M ago9:30

9:30

How does art change the way we see and experience the world? Art has the power to offer transformative experiences, but what about the lives of artists who give so much of themselves? How can we balance creativity and personal well-being while still making work that is true and meaningful? David Rubin (President of the Academy of Motion Picture Art…

1
Women, Politics & The Art of Diplomacy w/ DEBORA CAHN - Creator of Netflix’s THE DIPLOMAT starring Keri Russell

6M ago

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“The question of who's good and who's bad is always front of mind for me because my basic goal is to get to the place where no one is good or bad; everybody is in an unspeakably complicated situation. From the very beginning of the series, this event happens. We believe that it was perpetrated by Iran. Fairly quickly, we learn through the relations…

1
THE DIPLOMAT with DEBORA CAHN - Emmy-winning Showrunner, Exec. Producer - The West Wing, Homeland 44:02

6M ago44:02

44:02

What are the unseen challenges faced by diplomats, and what role do they play in maintaining global order? How do TV shows influence our understanding of real-world politics? How do women navigate power, and what does it take for them to lead in politics? Debora Cahn is the Emmy-nominated showrunner and executive producer ofNetflix’s The Diplomat, …

1
What Does It Mean to Live a Good Life? Filmmakers, Writers, Visionaries & Educators Share their Stories 15:14

7M ago15:14

15:14

What does it mean to live a good life? How can the arts help us learn to speak the language of the Earth and cultivate our intuitive intelligence? What is the power of mentorship for forging character and creative vision? How can we hold onto our cultural heritage and traditions, while preparing students for the needs of the 21st century? Alan Poul…

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