Day 2 of Masala at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival

By Nimarta Narang

Day 2. Friday, January 24: 

The second day of the Sundance Film Festival began in full force. A lot of the different company houses started their programming from the morning onward, which then became a race to visit almost as many as one could before the evening’s festivities. I’m starting to feel the festival fatigue take over as I log this entry into the late hours of 11 PM. At a whim, I don the Sundance beanie, which I have come to affectionately call to keep me warm. It has the unexpected effect of providing me with a boost of energy. I can’t complain. If anything, the beanie may have just become the answer to any future writer’s block.  

I began the day at Sunrise Collective, which is the official pan-AAPI house at Sundance, hosted by Gold House, The Asian American Federation, and 3AD media. Bing Chen, co-founder of Gold House, said in his opening remarks: “We can see which of those are with us when we are up and winning, but it is important to see who is with us when we are down.” It was a remark that elicited plenty of nods and whispers of ‘yes’ across the crowd—I being one of them in acknowledgment that the creative field was always fluctuating. That morning, I met so many creatives: writers, directors, actors, producers, colourists, sound mixers, and water unit directors. They were all so kind and open to meeting new people that I actually found myself enjoying networking. Deadline’s executive editor Dominic Patten’s reminder of Barry Jenkin’s statement: “Don’t network, just hang out,” in the morning’s panel finally made sense to me. 

The second house, or ‘lodge’ as Sundance calls it, I visited was that of Audible’s (one of the official sponsors of the festival). The guests sat on the outdoor terrace where we were able to gaze upon the snow mountains in the backdrop while cozying up to hot chocolate, apple cider, and varying snacks. It was a lovely place to get some downtime to sit and really take in the festival. The imposter syndrome feeling almost dissipated when at the opportune time actors Callum Turner and Alia Shawkat walked in and proceeded to hang around in the corner to take in the view as well. I suppose actors are people too but unfortunately, the reverse is not true in the professional sense. 

After a bus ride to the incorrect location and then an Uber drive to the final destination later, I arrived at 1497’s South Asian Lodge. The nonprofit 1497 continues in its third year as an Official Partner of the Sundance Festival in its mission to uplift and advocate for talent of South Asian descent in entertainment. This lodge had the most unique setup of all. Moodier lighting, a more open hall, a taller stage, and the presence of masala chai made the environment feel communal and safe. I was also reminded of how reliant I am on chai that a mere sip made me feel comforted immediately.  

The night ended with my second premiere of the festival for a narrative film called Brides by Nadia Fall, again held at the iconic Egyptian Theatre. This time, I showed up to the waiting line an hour before the premiere, and, like the overachiever I am, I was the first in line. I made friends with two filmmakers from San Francisco who sat next to me in the theatre. We swapped stories of how our first few days fared and what other movies we wanted to watch. It truly felt like I was hanging out, even at a place like Sundance. Casual, right? 

Follow Masala’s Instagram for more highlights of Sundance @masalamagazine