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Attention, Aspiring Film Critics: Here’s Your Opportunity to Go to Sundance in 2016

RogerEbert.com and Indiewire are partnering for the third edition of the Roger Ebert Fellowship for Film Criticism, for which four aspiring critics will be selected from North America to attend and cover the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. 

The Sundance Institute commemorated a fellowship in 2014 to honor the memory of the late Roger Ebert, who passed away one year earlier. RogerEbert.com joined with Indiewire's Criticwire internship for aspiring film writers. The program was established by Sundance with generous support from Chaz Ebert and The Ebert Foundation. 

Sundance Institute President and Founder Robert Redford said, "Roger Ebert's blessing on the Sundance experiment in its earliest days made all the difference in the world. His eloquence at cutting to the heart of what we were trying to do helped to interpret for others what I often could not find the words to say. I will always be grateful to him for that and for so much more."

The initiative offers promising newcomers the opportunity to attend Sundance and produce work in a deadline-driven environment for both Indiewire and RogerEbert.com. While it’s more challenging than ever to make a living as a film critic, film criticism continues to stimulate conversations across the media landscape, and festivals provide a key focal point for starting those discussions. Participants in this workshop will not only experience this process first-hand; they will come out of the experience with the connections and clips vital to their next steps in the profession. 

Applications will be accepted between now and Friday, December 4, 2015. Participants will be provided with funds to help cover their airfare and accommodations.

While there is no specific age limit on applications, the ideal candidates have completed at least two years of college or should be no more than three years out of college. Applicants should demonstrate a genuine interest in film criticism and journalism as a career goal. We want to be able to assess your enthusiasm for this opportunity as well as your writing competence and the strength of your voice.

Your application must include the following ingredients:

Motivational letter (300 words or less): Tell us who you are and why you're interested in this particular opportunity. You have a limited amount of space, so don't waste it. If you have produced any work beyond written criticism (such as podcasts or video essays), we encourage you to mention it here.

Curriculum Vitae (1 page): The most recent version of your resume.

3 Articles/Film Reviews Written in English: Show us your ability to write about movies. Please refrain from including lengthy academic papers or other scholarly materials that may not give us an accurate reflection of your capacity to succeed in this workshop.

Please send the individual components of your application as a series of attachments by Friday, December 4, to filmcriticfellowship2016@gmail.com.

You may also reach out to Indiewire editor Eric Kohn with any questions surrounding the application process at eric@indiewire.com.

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