Candescent Films Gives A Two-Year Gift To The Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program

Exclusive: Independent filmmaking has long been based on a spirit of collaboration and mutal support between producers and directors, with that relationship being central in the ability to get challening, creative works made and fostering emerging talent. And for the rising production company Candescent Films, they understand the importance of how crucial a base and network is in developing new projects.

Candescent Films has announced that they will grant a two-year gift to the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program to support its Fund and Labs. The gift will go towards supporting the community of mentors and filmmakers in documentary film at Sundance Institute and it will include a special award given to an outstanding socially conscious documentary each year for the duration of their grant. Started in 1996, the program has been an active and vital one, with 61 filmmakers who have received support, screening their films at the Sundance Film Festival.

"Candescent is thrilled to be supporting the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program," says founder Lilly Hartley. "The DFP excels at creating a working community for filmmakers to hone their craft and expand their vision, and we look forward to giving the Candescent Award to a documentary that embodies our passion for films with a social message."

That focus on projects with a social agenda will be seen in Candescent's first release, "Sons of The Clouds," a documentary that explores the political and human rights issues facing the people of the Western Sahara. Directed by Alvaro Longoria and narrated by Javier Bardem, the film is aiming to enter the festival circuit in 2012. Other projects Candescent are working on include "The Fifth Estate," a documentary on journalism in the digital age from "The September Issue" director R.J. Cutler as well as a drama from "Take Shelter" helmer Jeff Nichols entitled "Native."