Merrell Named Official Footwear Partner of Sundance 2027, Debuting With a Six Filmmaker Panel in Boulder
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Confirmed: Merrell and Sundance Collab announced on October 1, 2026 that the outdoor footwear brand is now the Official Footwear Partner of the Sundance Film Festival, and that its first storytelling program, “It Starts Outside,” will culminate with a live panel at the 2027 Boulder festival. Six filmmakers chosen from more than 1,200 submissions across 90 countries each received $20,000 in production support to make short films, and those filmmakers will appear on stage together in January. This is a sponsorship and programming announcement, not a ticketed public screening series, based on what has been published so far.
Last verified: October 3, 2026
What is confirmed about the Merrell partnership
| Fact | Status |
|---|---|
| Merrell is the Official Footwear Partner of the Sundance Film Festival under a three year agreement announced Oct. 1, 2026 | Confirmed |
| Six filmmakers were selected from over 1,200 submissions across 90 countries for the inaugural “It Starts Outside” program, each receiving $20,000 in production support | Confirmed |
| A live panel with the six filmmakers and Merrell is planned at the 2027 festival in Boulder | Confirmed |
| Exact panel date, venue, and whether it is open to badge holders, pass holders, or the general public | Pending |
The program is built around “It Starts Outside,” Merrell’s brand platform about stepping outside and how that act shapes personal growth. The inaugural storytelling cohort launched in June 2026 through Sundance Collab, Sundance Institute’s online training and mentorship platform, and ran a three month mentorship and production period. The six selected filmmakers, Sharon Liese, Ciril Jazbec, Jean Luke Miraflore, Laura Basil Duncan, Gabriella Canal and Quinne Larsen, each produced a short film in the 60 to 90 second range, formatted for social platforms, under the mentorship structure. Richard McLeod, Merrell’s chief marketing officer, said in the announcement that the filmmakers would bring the brand’s belief in the outdoors to life through human interest stories. Sundance Institute’s own release frames the deal as a three year commitment, meaning this cohort’s festival panel is likely the first of at least two more cycles tied to future editions of the festival.
What has not been published yet, as of this writing, is a specific date or venue for the panel, or whether it will require a festival credential, a specific pass tier, or be open without a ticket. Sundance’s own program schedule for January 2027 is not expected until the official lineup announcement in December 2026, so treat any assumption about access to this event as unconfirmed until it appears on the festival’s own program.
Why it matters
Corporate partnerships like this one are part of how Sundance funds its move to Boulder, and they also shape what extra programming shows up around the main film slate. It joins other recently confirmed additions to the 2027 edition, including the new FIPRESCI critics award for first time filmmakers. If you follow where Sundance Institute’s money and mentorship goes more broadly, our post on the Documentary Fund’s 2026 grantees covers a separate but related funding program from the same institute. For the festival’s overall day by day structure once the Merrell panel is likely to be scheduled within it, see our Sundance 2027 festival schedule page, which we update as new program details are confirmed.
What we’re watching
We’re watching for Sundance Institute to publish the panel’s date, venue, and access requirements, and for the December 2026 lineup announcement to show whether “It Starts Outside” films screen publicly in Boulder. We’ll update this post once those details are confirmed.
