Throughout the 2026 Sundance Film Festival (Park City’s final Sundance) and during the run of the Natural Order exhibition (link), Susan Swartz Studios hosted a myriad of impactful events including premiere parties for four incredible films:
The Lake
On January 22, we celebrated the opening of Sundance with the premiere party for The Lake. Set against the backdrop of Natural Order, the evening highlighted the urgent environmental story of the Great Salt Lake and the power of collective action.
The film’s recognition with the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Impact for Change resonated deeply with our exhibition’s themes, reinforcing the role of art and film in galvanizing public awareness and advocacy.
One in a Million
The following evening, we hosted the premiere celebration for One in a Million, an Impact Partners production filmed over ten years. The film follows one girl’s journey from Syria to Germany and back again, illuminating the complexities of war, exile, and identity. The event expanded the gallery’s dialogue beyond environmental themes to include migration, resilience, and belonging.
The Gallerist
Celebrating a Trailblazer: Give Me the Ball!
Our Sundance programming concluded on January 26 with a premiere celebration for Give Me the Ball!, a powerful portrait of tennis icon Billie Jean King. With the champion herself in attendance alongside filmmakers and producers, the evening honored her enduring impact on sport, equity, and cultural progress.
Exhibition Opening
On January 24, we celebrated the opening of Natural Order, organized in collaboration with Sundaram Tagore Gallery and curated by Claire Breukel. The exhibition reunited Burtynsky, Salgado, and Swartz following their earlier collaboration at the 2022 Sotheby’s Impact Gala in support of Instituto Terra, the acclaimed reforestation initiative founded by Sebastião and Lélia Salgado. The opening celebrated the powerful works of each artist and a commitment to environmental restoration.
Bridging Divides: The Utah Way Reception
Later that day, the gallery welcomed participants from the The Utah Way convening. The reception focused on bridging political and cultural divides through shared values and place-based solutions, with the Great Salt Lake serving as a powerful case study for collaborative environmental stewardship.
Bringing Art, Film, and Community Together
Across premieres, panels, and gatherings, Susan Swartz Studios became a place where ideas converged, where art illuminated environmental urgency, film expanded our empathy, and community dialogue fostered shared purpose.
Natural Order served as the anchor, reminding us that while humanity may seek to reorder the world, we remain deeply embedded within it. Through the works of Burtynsky, Salgado, and Swartz, we were invited to see our surroundings with renewed clarity and to consider our collective role in preserving them.
As Sundance closes its Park City chapter, we are grateful for the artists, filmmakers, scholars, and guests who filled the gallery with thoughtful conversation and genuine care for our shared future.