Sundance was definitely an amazing experience for me! Before going I was nervous because I wasn’t sure what to expect but the atmosphere was amazing, everybody was very welcoming.

The Q&A’s the film directors were great about answering open and honestly about their films.

One of my favorite things about Sundance is the diversity with the films. I love how out of the box some of the plots were because it gave me a new way to view or look the creativity of film making.

I would love to go back because I feel like it will be an amazing new experience every time!

My fist time in the west was AMAZING.  Being set in the beautiful mountains and little town of Park City, gave alternative, peaceful vibes to the fast paced perspectives of Hollywood.

Our hotel was fantastic, even having its own theater where many movies premiered.  As the days blurred, I learned that independent film is a new medium to tell a different story in a different perspective.

I would encourage future students to go to as many premiers as possible, because that is usually where the crew and cast are to answer questions after their movies.  They’re usually also cool to get pictures with you!  Also dress as warmly as you can, wear two pairs of pants if you have to!

The most memorable activities were getting a picture with Keanu Reeves walking past me at one of the premiers and getting a picture done at Sundance T.V. headquarters with my crew!

Sundance gave me a new perspective on how to create movies, from the writing to the directing to the acting to all the aspects of film making.  Sundance shows audiences different ways of telling a familiar or new story!

After spending a semester saving every penny I could and looking at countless films and directors, I realized soon after my flight landed in Salt Lake City that Sundance most likely would not live up to my expectations. I had imagined myself getting drinks with Jason Schwartzman, making it into every movie I wanted to see, and heroically fighting past my sleep deprivation to make the most of every moment I had in Utah.

My Sundance experience was not what I had envisioned. I spent much of the week cold, sleep-deprived, and constantly rushing from one place to the next with a frantic eye on the clock. I got sick on the third day and spent the rest of the week downing Sudafed, ibuprofen, and Vitamin C-infused cough drops. I waitlisted multiple films, but of my list of over 20 films that I definitely wanted to see, I only got into about five. I didn’t have any personal conversations with celebrities, and everything cost a lot more money than I had expected it to.

Many of the films I did see were exceptional–even if I can’t say that I liked them, I can certainly say that they took risks or made me think about things in new ways. Park City is one of my favorite cities in the U.S., with its brightly colored houses, ski slopes, friendly citizens, and amazing coffee shops. I didn’t meet any celebrities, but I attended Q & A’s with Jason Segel, Adam Scott, and Saoirse Ronan. Ewan McGregor passed me on the street so close that I almost bumped into him. And  Sundance pushed me to experience new things. It motivated me to attempt to maintain a positive attitude, even when I was exhausted and hungry. It wasn’t what I had expected, but it was an amazing experience.