Sundance Documentary Program and Independent Distribution in the U.S. (1989–2010)

1. Sundance Institute takes over U.S. Film Festival

   Jan 1, 1985Labels: Sundance Institute, U S

   • Sundance Timeline

2. Sundance Film Festival name becomes official

   Jan 1, 1991Labels: Sundance Film

   • Festival History
   • Sundance overview

3. U.S. Documentary Competition spotlights major winners

   Jan 1, 1991Labels: U S, Barbara Kopple

   • IDA 1991 report
   • Grand Jury list

4. IFC begins airing the Spirit Awards on TV

   Jan 1, 1994Labels: IFC, Spirit Awards

   • Film Independent

5. Independent Film Channel launches on U.S. cable

   Sep 1, 1994Labels: Independent Film, IFC

   • IFC channel

6. Soros Documentary Fund begins funding human-rights docs

   Jan 1, 1996Labels: Soros Documentary, Open Society

   • Open Society PR
   • Sundance Archives

7. Sundance Channel launches as a documentary-heavy network

   Feb 1, 1996Labels: Sundance Channel

   • Sundance TV

8. Digital projection arrives at Sundance Film Festival

   Jan 1, 2000Labels: Digital projection, Sundance Film

   • Sundance Timeline

9. Independent Spirit Awards add Best Documentary Feature

   Jan 1, 2000Labels: Independent Spirit

   • Spirit Doc Award

10. Soros Fund moves into Sundance Institute structure

    Jan 1, 2002Labels: Sundance Documentary, Open Society

    • Open Society PR
    • Sundance Timeline

11. Sundance Documentary Film Program is established

    Jan 1, 2002Labels: Documentary Film, Sundance Institute

    • Sundance DFP
    • Sundance Timeline

12. DFP expands with editing and music labs for docs

    Jan 1, 2003Labels: Editing Lab, Music Lab

    • Sundance Timeline

13. Sundance documentary support shapes late-2000s distribution

    Jan 1, 2008Labels: Sundance support, Distribution pipeline

    • Open Society PR
    • Sundance DFP

14. By 2010, digital workflows become standard for indie docs

    Jan 1, 2010Labels: Digital workflows

    • Sundance Timeline