Please join us alongside Alliance of Women Directors, Shine Global Inc, and Creating Creators for an Official 2026 Sundance Film Festival Panel held at the Sundance Institute‘s Filmmaker Lodge on Main Street in Park City.
From First Break to Lasting Impact: Building Creative Pipelines in Film & Media
▶ Description: Panelists will discuss the ways in which intentional career pipeline programs fuel long-term success in the entertainment industry. Bringing together leaders from each organization, the conversation will spotlight how professional development initiatives support creatives at critical moments—from early-career discovery and skill-building, to mid-career expansion and leadership, to late-career sustainability and legacy-building.
Panelists will share insights into mentorship models, funding opportunities, community-building, and access to opportunity, while examining how aligned ecosystems can better serve filmmakers and storytellers over the span of a career. Designed for artists, executives, and advocates alike, this discussion offers a holistic look at how the industry can invest not just in projects, but in people—at every stage of their creative journey. This discussion will be moderated by Sola Fasehun from DIFF.
Gianfranco Fernández-Ruiz
Alumni Filmmaker & Ambassador, NFMLA
About Gianfranco Fernández-Ruiz:
Gianfranco Fernández-Ruiz is an award-winning writer-director. His short When Big People Lie premiered at Telluride, screened at Cannes, and was profiled in Deadline. Named 2024 Best New Filmmaker by NFMLA. His debut feature Summer of Mercedes is currently in development. He earned his MFA in Directing from the AFI Conservatory.
Kylie Eaton
Interim Executive Director, Alliance of Women Directors
About Kylie Eaton:
Kylie Eaton is Interim Executive Director of the Alliance of Women Directors, leading strategic growth, fundraising, and membership expansion. As a director and writer, her genre-driven storytelling centers on women’s lived experiences. Her narrative work includes the short STARBORN and the award-winning short film DISPEL, starring Gina Torres.
About AWD:
Founded in 1997, Alliance of Women Directors (AWD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to achieving gender parity in the entertainment industry by substantially increasing the number of working women and gender-diverse directors. Through craft enrichment, mentorship, and industry partnerships, AWD provides vital support to its over 650 directing and ally members, who range from emerging filmmakers to award-winning veterans. AWD believes representation matters and works to ensure stories are told from all perspectives.
Alexandra Blaney
Co-CEO & Creative Director, Shine Global
About Alexandra Blaney:
Alexandra Blaney is Co-CEO and Creative Director of Shine Global, leading content development and impact storytelling to advance children’s rights. Her many film credits include most recently as a producer of the Oscar®-nominated Anuja. She also created and leads Shine Global’s Resilience Awards Initiative supporting filmmakers centering children’s stories worldwide.
About Shine Global:
Shine Global is a nonprofit media company that improves the lives of children by telling powerful stories to raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change. We produce and support inspiring films and compelling campaigns about underserved children. Since our founding in 2005, Shine Global films have won more than 100 major awards, including an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject for Inocente, an Academy Award® nomination for Best Live Action Short for Anuja, and an Academy Award® nomination and two Emmys® for War/Dance. Shine Global also supports filmmaker through the Resilience Awards Program which recognizes and celebrates the films and filmmakers that highlight the resilience and strength of children in the face of adversity.
Jessica Just
CEO & Co-Founder, Creating Creators
About Jessica Just:
Jessica Just is an actress, producer, and editor. She graduated from NYU-Tisch School of the Arts, with a degree in Film and TV Production and producing. Previously, Jessica worked for Miramax in post-production and Apostle Films for pre-production and development. She is currently a Partner at Open Perspective Media LLC and is a member of SAG-AFTRA.
About Creating Creators:
Creating Creators supports and aligns lessons in the classroom, with the entrepreneurial, creative, and collaborative rigor of film production and 21st century skills of working professionals.
Sola Fasehun
Founder, The Distribution Collective, Fasehun Films, and the Diversity and Inclusion Film Festival
About the moderator:
Sola worked with Oscar®-winning producer Michael Phillips. She was a sales agent/distribution consultant at Submarine Entertainment/Deluxe. While at UTA, Sola launched the diversity initiative. She repped talent as an MP/TV Lit agent. Sola is the founder of The Distribution Collective, Fasehun Films, and the Diversity and Inclusion Film Festival.
▶ Date: Sunday, January 25th, 2026
▶ Time: 1:30pm to 3:00pm MT
▶ Location: Sundance Film Festival’s Filmmaker Lodge – 550 Main St, Park City, UT 84060
RSVP is requested by no later than 1/23/26 at 2pm MT. All guests are required to create a free Sundance profile on the Sundance Film Festival website or mobile app. This will generate a Sundance profile QR code, to be scanned upon entrance to the venue. If attendees have a Festival credential, the credential can be scanned instead. RSVP does not guarantee entry. Space is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration info may be shared.
▶ For any accessibility needs, please send us a request by email to info@NFMLA.org at least 72 hours prior to the event.
