Power House | Sundance 2026
Hosted by
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ᵔᴥᵔ˘◡˘◕‿↼ᵔ▿ᵔComplimentary food + cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages
Kick off your Sundance with a stop by Power House, hosted by PowerLines!
Escape the cold for hot cider, local Peruvian bites, and a cozy room built for candor, connection, and real collaboration.
Register here: https://www.thefightforpowerfilm.com/
FULL SCHEDULE:
Fri (1/23)
7pm-9pm: The Civic Power Salon
Description: An opening-night gathering to connect filmmakers, funders, civic leaders, and partners. Come in from the snow to hot cider, hot catered bites, and an easy, welcoming room— built for meeting the right people without the festival rush.
Sat (1/24):
1pm: Doors Open
1:15–2:15 PM — Film Showcase Lunch (food by SLC favorite La Casa Del Tamal)
Trailer screenings for Ground Zero, The Fight For Power, Still Standing, and more
2:15–3:00 PM — Filmmaker Spotlight: FreeLance
Panelists:
• Julien Turner — Writer/Director, FreeLance
• Justen Turner — Writer/Director, FreeLance
• Stephen "Dr" Love — Producer, FreeLance
Description: A featured conversation and preview from the Turner Brothers’ and executive producer Stephen “Dr” Love’s Sundance-selected project FreeLance, exploring storytelling rooted in non-coastal America and underrepresented communities — and what it takes to build authentic narratives outside traditional industry centers. Moderated by Christian Ting.
3:15–3:25 PM — The Fight for Power Film Sizzle Premiere | Introduction by Charles Hua, Founder of Powerlines
3:25–4:15 PM — Beyond the Release: How Films Find Their Audience in 2026
Panelists:
• Brionté McCorkle — Founder, Georgia Conservation Voters
• Emily Best — Founder & CEO, Seed&Spark
• Jon Amiel — Co-director & producer, The Fight for Power
• Marco Ríos Bollinger — Co-director & producer, The Fight for Power
Description: A conversation about how films break through when storytelling and community power move together. An inside look at how the team behind The Fight for Power is designing distribution and community engagement from day one — crafting a story meant not just to inform, but to resonate, entertain, and activate audiences in 2026.
4:30–5:15 PM — Storytelling, Power & the Future of Democracy
Panelists:
• Charles Hua — Founder, PowerLines
• Daniel Blackman — Former Biden Administration EPA Administrator
• Steven Olikara — CEO, Bridge Entertainment Labs
Description: A forward-looking discussion on how independent film and media can shape democratic participation in an era of polarization, misinformation, and fatigue—and what it takes to fund and sustain this work when it matters most.
5:30–7:00pm: Happy Hour + Creative Networking
Background:
Power House is an intimate convening for filmmakers, artists, funders, and civic leaders passionate about reclaiming citizen power, hosted by PowerLines. Featuring a first look at The Fight For Power by award-winning filmmakers Marco Rìos Bollinger and Jon Amiel, alongside other sizzle screenings, Power House brings together culture-shapers and thought leaders exploring how power works in American democracy — who holds it, who pays the price, and how it can be reclaimed.
Bringing the creative media industry into dialogue with democracy leaders, The Power House examines the intersection of storytelling, elections, affordability, energy, and civic participation, with an eye toward the 2026 midterms.
Designed as a high-signal gathering rather than a traditional panel house, it creates space for honest, bipartisan conversation and unexpected collaboration — grounded in the belief that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to engage, educate, and mobilize the public.
PowerLines website: https://powerlines.org/
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