Christopher Nolan and Celine Song to Be Honored at 2024 Sundance Film Festival Opening Night Gala

Christopher Nolan and Celine Song.Photo:Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images; Theo Wargo/Getty ImagesThe 2024Sundance Film Festivalwill honor two prominent directors.On Wednesday, the Sundance Institute announced thatOppenheimerdirectorChristopher NolanandPast Livesdirector Celine Song will receive special awards at the festival’sopening night galaJan. 18.Nolan, 53, will receive a brand-new honor, the Sundance Institute Trailblazer Award, while Song, 35, gets the Vanguard Award along with filmmaker Maite Alberdi. Both Song’sPast Livesand Alberdi’sThe Eternal Memorypremiered at the festival in January.Nolan, whose summer blockbusterOppenheimeris the nowhighest-grossing biopic of all-time, received acclaim at Sundance over two decades ago when hisMementoscreened at the festival in 2001. The award he will receive is meant to recognize “an artist’s unwavering dedication and notable contributions to the field of independent film,” per a release.“PresentingMementoat the Sundance Film Festival marked a pivotal moment in my career," Nolan said in a statement Wednesday. “This award is a full-circle moment and testament to the extraordinary influence of independent filmmaking.“Celine Song.Matthew DunivanThe Vanguard Awards, which Song and Alberdi will receive, “honor artists whose work highlights the art of storytelling and creative independence in both nonfiction and fiction,” according to a release.Song made her directorial debut withPast Lives, whichreceived three nominationsfor the upcoming 2023 Gotham Awards. The director said in a statement that her upcoming honor at Sundance “really means the world to me.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“Sundance is where I showed my very first film for the very first time, and I will never forget the experience — pacing around the green room at the Eccles, waiting to introduce the film to the world, meeting the audience afterward, being there together with everyone who made the movie with me,” she said.“Sundance is the place that launched my career as a filmmaker: it’s a home forPast Lives— and a home for me — in the deepest way.“Christopher Nolan.Magnus NolanThe Sundance Institute said Wednesday that its annual festival opening night gala “enables the nonprofit to raise critical funds to support independent artists year-round through labs, grants and public programming that nurture artists globally.“The 2024 Sundance Film Festival will be held in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, from Jan. 18–28, with an online component running from Jan. 25–28.

Christopher Nolan and Celine Song.Photo:Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images; Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images; Theo Wargo/Getty Images

The 2024Sundance Film Festivalwill honor two prominent directors.On Wednesday, the Sundance Institute announced thatOppenheimerdirectorChristopher NolanandPast Livesdirector Celine Song will receive special awards at the festival’sopening night galaJan. 18.Nolan, 53, will receive a brand-new honor, the Sundance Institute Trailblazer Award, while Song, 35, gets the Vanguard Award along with filmmaker Maite Alberdi. Both Song’sPast Livesand Alberdi’sThe Eternal Memorypremiered at the festival in January.Nolan, whose summer blockbusterOppenheimeris the nowhighest-grossing biopic of all-time, received acclaim at Sundance over two decades ago when hisMementoscreened at the festival in 2001. The award he will receive is meant to recognize “an artist’s unwavering dedication and notable contributions to the field of independent film,” per a release.“PresentingMementoat the Sundance Film Festival marked a pivotal moment in my career,” Nolan said in a statement Wednesday. “This award is a full-circle moment and testament to the extraordinary influence of independent filmmaking.“Celine Song.Matthew DunivanThe Vanguard Awards, which Song and Alberdi will receive, “honor artists whose work highlights the art of storytelling and creative independence in both nonfiction and fiction,” according to a release.Song made her directorial debut withPast Lives, whichreceived three nominationsfor the upcoming 2023 Gotham Awards. The director said in a statement that her upcoming honor at Sundance “really means the world to me.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“Sundance is where I showed my very first film for the very first time, and I will never forget the experience — pacing around the green room at the Eccles, waiting to introduce the film to the world, meeting the audience afterward, being there together with everyone who made the movie with me,” she said.“Sundance is the place that launched my career as a filmmaker: it’s a home forPast Lives— and a home for me — in the deepest way.“Christopher Nolan.Magnus NolanThe Sundance Institute said Wednesday that its annual festival opening night gala “enables the nonprofit to raise critical funds to support independent artists year-round through labs, grants and public programming that nurture artists globally.“The 2024 Sundance Film Festival will be held in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, from Jan. 18–28, with an online component running from Jan. 25–28.

The 2024Sundance Film Festivalwill honor two prominent directors.

On Wednesday, the Sundance Institute announced thatOppenheimerdirectorChristopher NolanandPast Livesdirector Celine Song will receive special awards at the festival’sopening night galaJan. 18.

Nolan, 53, will receive a brand-new honor, the Sundance Institute Trailblazer Award, while Song, 35, gets the Vanguard Award along with filmmaker Maite Alberdi. Both Song’sPast Livesand Alberdi’sThe Eternal Memorypremiered at the festival in January.

Nolan, whose summer blockbusterOppenheimeris the nowhighest-grossing biopic of all-time, received acclaim at Sundance over two decades ago when hisMementoscreened at the festival in 2001. The award he will receive is meant to recognize “an artist’s unwavering dedication and notable contributions to the field of independent film,” per a release.

“PresentingMementoat the Sundance Film Festival marked a pivotal moment in my career,” Nolan said in a statement Wednesday. “This award is a full-circle moment and testament to the extraordinary influence of independent filmmaking.”

Celine Song.Matthew Dunivan

Matthew Dunivan

The Vanguard Awards, which Song and Alberdi will receive, “honor artists whose work highlights the art of storytelling and creative independence in both nonfiction and fiction,” according to a release.

Song made her directorial debut withPast Lives, whichreceived three nominationsfor the upcoming 2023 Gotham Awards. The director said in a statement that her upcoming honor at Sundance “really means the world to me.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“Sundance is where I showed my very first film for the very first time, and I will never forget the experience — pacing around the green room at the Eccles, waiting to introduce the film to the world, meeting the audience afterward, being there together with everyone who made the movie with me,” she said.

“Sundance is the place that launched my career as a filmmaker: it’s a home forPast Lives— and a home for me — in the deepest way.”

Christopher Nolan.Magnus Nolan

Magnus Nolan

The Sundance Institute said Wednesday that its annual festival opening night gala “enables the nonprofit to raise critical funds to support independent artists year-round through labs, grants and public programming that nurture artists globally.”

The 2024 Sundance Film Festival will be held in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, from Jan. 18–28, with an online component running from Jan. 25–28.

source: people.com