Jesse Eisenberg Among Four Honorees at Sundance's Boulder Debut Fundraiser

Jesse Eisenberg will receive the Sundance Institute Trailblazer Award on Jan. 22, when the institute honors four artists at its annual fundraiser, Celebrating Sundance Institute: The Boulder Debut.

Eisenberg, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Beth de Araújo and Dawn Porter will all be recognized at the event, which launches a historic first festival in Sundance's new home of Boulder, Colorado. The award recognizes an artist's contributions to independent film. Previous Trailblazer honorees include Chloé Zhao, James Mangold and Christopher Nolan.

"Every time I've been invited to the Sundance Film Festival, I've jumped for joy," Eisenberg said. "This time, I'm jumping with joy and gratitude. I'm so honored — and surprised — to receive the Trailblazer Award."

What is Eisenberg's history with Sundance?

Eisenberg has attended the festival both as an actor and as a filmmaker. As an actor, he appeared at Sundance with "The Squid and the Whale," "Holy Rollers" and "The Double." As a filmmaker, he brought "When You Finish Saving the World" and "A Real Pain" to the festival.

His next film, "The Debut," reaches theaters on Dec. 11, roughly six weeks before the gala. The title carries an accidental resonance with the fundraiser's own name, The Boulder Debut, which marks the institute's arrival in its new Colorado home.

Who else receives an award?

Gina Prince-Bythewood will receive the Robert Redford Luminary Award, given to artists who used their platform to create previously unavailable possibilities. The writer-director has championed new voices and independent storytelling through films including "Love & Basketball," "The Secret Life of Bees" and the upcoming "Children of Blood and Bone."

Two Vanguard Awards Presented by Acura complete the honoree list, one for fiction and one for nonfiction:

• Vanguard Award for Fiction: Beth de Araújo, director of "Josephine" and "Soft & Quiet"
• Vanguard Award for Nonfiction: Dawn Porter, director of "When A Witness Recants" and founder of Trilogy Films

The Vanguard honors celebrate storytelling and creative independence in both fiction and nonfiction work.

What does this change for the festival?

The gala sets the tone for a relocated and restructured Sundance. The 2027 Sundance Film Festival runs Jan. 21-31 in person in Boulder, Colorado, with an at-home program available online from Jan. 28-31. The event doubles as a declaration that the institute intends to carry its identity across the move.

"We are deeply honored to recognize the incredible and groundbreaking honorees at Celebrating Sundance Institute: The Boulder Debut," said David Linde, CEO of Sundance Institute. "This year's event will be a memorable kickoff to mark a historic first Festival in our new home, while continuing Sundance Institute's legacy of supporting and honoring bold voices in independent cinema."

The four honorees span acting, fiction directing and documentary work, a spread that mirrors the festival's own programming range as it opens its Boulder era.