The Sundance Institute has announced jury members for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. The list includes Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu and British actor Daniel Kaluuya.
Announcing the jury members, Eugene Hernandez, Director, Sundance Film Festival and Public Programming said: “We are thrilled to announce the incredible and accomplished group that comprise the 2025 Sundance Film Festival’s jury. The jury plays a pivotal role in helping us recognize and amplify a new generation of storytellers, which is a crucial part of our work in independent cinema.”
Kahiu, known for 2018’s Rafiki, which was the first Kenyan film to screen at the Cannes Film Festival, will join the World Cinema Dramatic Competition jury. Her career spans filmmaking, speaking, and writing. In 2019, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Next. She is also a World Economic Forum cultural leader.
Kahiu is also the co-founder of AFROBUBBLEGUM, a collective that aims to create fun, fierce, and fantastical African art. She is set to direct Once on This Island, a Disney title.
Wanuri Kahiu’s Career
Wanuri Kahiu’s feature film debut, From a Whisper, which explores the 1998 twin bombings of US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, won Best Narrative Feature at the 2010 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles and earned five awards at the African Movie Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Screenplay.
In addition to her feature film work, Kahiu has produced several notable documentaries. Her 2009 TV documentary, For Our Land, which profiles Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Wangari Maathai, aired on MNET, a Pan African cable station.
Kahiu’s short science fiction film, Pumzi, premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and went on to win several awards, including Best Short Film at the Cannes Independent Film Festival and the Silver Award at the Carthage Film Festival in Tunisia. Pumzi also earned Kahiu the Citta di Venezia 2010 award in Venice, Italy.
Kahiu is currently working on several projects, including an animation film in collaboration with South African outfit TriggerFish. She is also in post-production on a feature-length documentary, Ger, about UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Ger Duany, as well as two short documentaries, Who Am I and Just a Band.
Other 2025 Sundance Jury Members
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival jury also includes a diverse range of influential perspectives, with notable members such as Oscar-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya and Emmy-winning producer, Ava Cahen; artistic director of Cannes Critics’ Week, Kevin Macdonald, BAFTA- and Oscar-winning director, and Daniela Alatorre, general director of the Mexican Film Institute.
The jurors also consist of Reinaldo Marcus Green (director Bob Marley: One Love), Arian Moayed (actor Succession), Steven Bognar, Vinnie Malhotra, Marcia Smith, Elijah Wood, Maggie Mackay, Kibwe Tavares, Dr. Monica Lopez, Nicholas Ma, and Kaniehtiio Horn.
Kim Yutani, the Festival’s Director of Programming said: “The jury will embark on an exciting journey to recognize the storytelling and artistic achievements that are a part of this year’s program. We are truly appreciative of their commitment and are looking forward to having them join us at the Festival.”
About the 2025 Sundance Film Festival
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival is set to commence on January 23 with daily premieres in Park City until January 28. The festival will continue with additional screenings in both Park City and Salt Lake City until Sunday, February 2, spanning a total of 11 days. During this period, the festival will showcase world premieres of projects across various categories.
The winners of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival will be revealed during the Awards Ceremony, scheduled to take place at The Ray Theatre on Friday, January 31. The 16 jury members will convene to select the award recipients, whose names will be announced during the ceremony.
