The Sundance Institute has recently released the names of the 65 films selected to premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival for the U.S. Competition, World Competition and out-of-competition NEXT category. The festival, which occupies Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden Utah, is set to take place January 21-31. Founded in 1978, the Sundance Film Festival has been a platform for independent filmmakers around the world to showcase their work.

Roy Dekel | Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Institute grants more than $2.5 million to independent artists each year. The festival provides an outlet for artists across the world to reach a broad spectrum of independent filmmakers like themselves, and experienced professionals in the industry. Executive Director, Keri Putnam, reinforces their focus in  recent news release on their website, “Our mission is to amplify these voices from outside the mainstream at the Festival and, through our year-round filmmaker Labs, programs and events, to celebrate their truly independant passion and spirit.”

Some earlier successes from the Sundance Film Festival have included Blackfish, Whiplash, Precious, Boyhood, Dope, and Napolean Dynamite. Featuring both feature-length and short films, the Festival is broken down into different categories including,

U.S. Dramatic Competition – “Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, the Dramatic Competition offers Festivalgoers a first look at groundbreaking new voices in American independent film.”

U.S. Documentary Competition – “Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.”

World Cinema Dramatic Competition – “Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talent around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.”

World Cinema Documentary Competition – “Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.”

NEXT – “Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in the section will shape a “greater” next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.

The Sundance Institute is dedicated to providing creative and financial support to aspiring filmmakers, directors, screenwriters, and artists through their series of Fellowships and Labs. Their programs, including Documentary, Feature Film, Music, and Theatre, give the artists a chance to rehearse, shoot, and edit their projects with industry professionals as their mentors. The Sundance Film Festival has  given a number of films notability, some of which have even went on to receive Oscar nominations. To check out the full list of films that will premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival click here.