Navalny Film: Producer on Documentary Challenges & Filmmaking

PARK CITY, Jan. 22, 2026 – Oscar-winning producer Shane Boris urged filmmakers to embrace collaboration and resilience amidst industry upheaval during a keynote speech at the Sundance Institute and Amazon MGM Studios Producers Awards. The event, held at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, highlighted the challenges and rewards of independent filmmaking.

Navigating Uncertainty in a Changing Landscape

Independent producers gathered at Sundance to discuss the future of film in a volatile industry.

• Boris, known for producing the Oscar-winning documentary Navalny, as well as Fire of Love and King coal, is debuting two new features at the festival: Time and Water, a climate change documentary, and The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist.
• The 2026 Sundance Film Festival features 90 feature-length films, most of which are independently produced.
• Apoorva Guru Charan and Dawne Langford were awarded $10,000 grants for their films Take me Home and Who Killed Alex Odeh?, respectively.
• Boris emphasized the importance of community and perseverance in the face of an uncertain future for the film industry.

“The world is clearly in crisis. What will happen with our industry is unachievable to predict. We’re living in a time of great uncertainty, one in which the old rules don’t apply, and yet the new rules haven’t been written,” Boris stated during his address. This sentiment reflects a broader anxiety within the entertainment industry as conventional models are disrupted.

He continued, acknowledging the power of collaboration: “At the moment, what is getting me through is the company I keep. I have collaborated with some of the best producers in the world. Not only have they helped me navigate extraordinarily challenging circumstances to turn ideals into realities, they have made space for me to have a chance to give projects something of value.”

What’s the biggest challenge facing independent filmmakers today?– Navigating a rapidly changing industry with dissolving norms and unclear future pathways is the primary hurdle, according to producer Shane boris.

The festival’s 2026 lineup showcases the vitality of independent cinema, with 90 feature-length films representing a diverse range of voices and perspectives. The sundance Institute and Amazon MGM Studios also recognized emerging talent, awarding $10,000 grants to apoorva Guru Charan, whose film Take Me Home is premiering at the festival, and Dawne Langford, for Who Killed Alex Odeh?.

Concluding his speech, Boris offered a message of encouragement: “One last thing I want to share with you, as we are all celebrating being here – and how rare and lovely it is indeed to have found each other in this increasingly disconnected world – is also a word of encouragement for the part of you which is reeling from how hard it was to get here (I am saying this to you and I am also telling it to myself): let’s not be daunted by the suffering of not reaching our ideals, in our art or in our life.”

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 22 to February 6.

Sundance Institute Support-The Sundance Institute provides year-round support to independent filmmakers through grants, mentorship, and the Sundance Co//ab, a digital platform for collaboration.

What is ‘apocaloptimism’?– It’s a philosophy acknowledging the severity of global crises while maintaining hope for positive change through innovation and collective action, as reflected in Boris’s film, The AI Doc.