Philly Local Member Is Heading to Sundance!

SAG-AFTRA Philly Local member Melanie Waldman will be attending this year’s Sundance Film Festival from Jan. 23–Feb. 2, 2025, reporting on behalf of her podcast Disability Reality and interview series Little Miss Representation for Amplitude Media Group and magazine.

“I’m most excited to be covering the announcement of the 2025 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge genre for their upcoming competition [and to be] connecting and networking with those in support of DEI initiatives, authentic representation and — in general — the overall inclusion of people with disabilities in indie film, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera,” Waldman said.

The Press Inclusion Initiative, an effort to support a diverse press community at the Sundance Film Festival, is returning this year to provide unrestricted stipends to a small cohort of journalists from underrepresented communities, including critics, writers and reporters who identify as BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities seeking to cover the festival.

“My attendance would not be possible without acknowledging my utmost gratitude and support from the creator of the Disability Film Challenge, Nic Novicki, as well as the nonprofit Lucky Fin Project, of which I’m an official ambassador for the organization,” Waldman said.

Photo: Melanie Waldman walks the red carpet. Photo by Zack Morrison.