On Saturday June 16, Sundance Institute will present ShortsLab:NYC, a full-day seminar focusing on the role of short films in cinema, storytelling, and culture at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Designed to guide and inspire the coming generation of filmmakers, ShortsLab wil feature screenings, panels, and discussions exploring all aspects of the short film. To kick off the Saturday seminar, Rooftop Films will screen eight Sundance Film Festival shorts on Friday evening.

This is the third year of Sundance’s ShortsLab, which will also take place in Seattle and Los Angeles. Sundance isn’t just a film festival—the project is one of many programs run by the Sundance Institute, founded by Robert Redford in 1981 to provide creative and financial support for independent artists. More information on the New York event is available here.