BTTL In Conversation with Olivia Wilde, Sophie Mas, Saba Zerehi, Sara Bernstein
During the sundance film festival
MON JAN 26th, 2026 | 2:00-3:00 PM
canon creative studio
park city museum, 528 Main St, Park City, UT 84060
Breaking Through The Lens returns to Sundance for its second year, hosting a panel in the Canon Creative Studio headlined by actor and director Olivia Wilde, who will discuss her new film “The Invite” which premieres at the festival on Saturday. Moderated by BTTL’s Liz Cardenas (Sundance Alumn & Indie Spirit Award-winner), the conversation will feature Sophie Mas (“The Gallerist”), Saba Zerehi (“If I Go Will They Miss Me”), and Sara Bernstein (Imagine Documentaries) alongside Wilde. In addition to speaking about their respective careers and projects, the panelists will shed light on the critical need for financing independent films, especially those made by marginalized individuals, which is at the core of BTTL’s tireless work.
Ahead of the panel, we will be announcing our 2026 BTTL Finalists and Action Grant Winner.
Access to this venue is by invitation only. Become a BTTL Member to join us this event and future festivals.
OLIVIA WILDE | “The Invite”
Actor and Director
Olivia Wilde is one of Hollywood’s most versatile and dynamic talents. She will make her Sundance directorial debut with The Invite which she directed and stars in alongside Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton and Seth Rogen. She also stars in Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex, starring opposite Cooper Hoffman and Charli XCS, also premiering at this year’s festival. Wilde’s first film, Booksmart, was awarded an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature; her sophomore film Don’t Worry Darling was a global success earning nearly 90 million dollar worldwide. Her acting work includes Her, Alpha Dog, Drinking Buddies, Meadowland, A Vigilante, Tron Legacy, Vinyl, House, and the upcoming Behemoth, written and directed by Tony Gilroy. Wilde’s short film, Wake Up, was nominated for the Sundance Grand Jury Prize.
SOPHIE MAS | “The Gallerist”
Producer and Co-Founder of MountainA
Sophie Mas is the co-founder of production company MountainA, alongside Oscar-winning actor Natalie Portman. Launched in 2020, the company’s mission is to produce internationally minded and filmmaker-driven television series and films, with a focus on working with first- or second-time filmmakers. Currently under a first-look deal with Apple TV, MountainA’s credits include the critically acclaimed Todd Haynes feature May December and the HBO original docuseries “Angel City.” Portman and Masalso recently produced the Apple TV limited series “Lady in the Lake,” from writer/director Alma Har’el, and the animated feature Arco, from French director Ugo Bienvenu. Mas’ previous producing credits include the Academy Award winner Call Me By Your Name as well as acclaimed indies The Witch and Murina.
SABA ZEREHI | “If I Go Will They Miss Me”
Producer
Saba Zerehi is an impact-driven producer whose work brings fresh voices and bold stories to the screen. Her projects reflect a deep commitment to championing visionary filmmakers and crafting narratives that engage and inspire audiences. She produced SOFT & QUIET, the debut feature by Beth de Araújo, executive produced by Blumhouse Pictures, which premiered at SXSW in 2022. Next, Saba produced Hannah Peterson’s feature THE GRADUATES, executive produced by Academy Award winner Chloé Zhao and starring John Cho, which premiered at Tribeca in 2023. IDIOTKA, the directorial debut of Nastasya Popov, whose cast includes Anna Baryshnikov, Camila Mendes, and Julia Fox, will be released in early 2026. BIRD IN HAND, directed by Melody Roscher, premiered at Tribeca in 2025. Her latest film IF I GO WILL THEY MISS ME, the sophomore feature by Walter Thompson Hernández, starring J Alphonse Nicholson and Danielle Brooks will have its premiere at Sundance 2026. With each project, Saba is committed to telling emotionally resonant stories that challenge audiences and foster a deeper understanding of themselves, others, and the world around them.
SARA BERNSTEIN | IMAGINE DOCUMENTARIES
Producer AND PRESIDENT
Sara Bernstein is an award-winning producer and President of Imagine Documentaries, leading the development and production of premium documentary feature films and series. Recent credits include the five-time Emmy Award-winning Best Documentary Jim Henson Idea Man (Disney+), Frida (Prime Video), Music by John Williams (Disney+), The Super Models (Apple TV+), The Dynasty: New England Patriots (Apple TV+), The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari (Netflix), Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series (Apple TV+), David Blaine: Do Not Attempt (Nat Geo), Pets (Disney+), Earnhardt (Prime Video), and the upcoming Barbara Walters Tell Me Everything (Hulu). Prior to joining Imagine, Bernstein was SVP, HBO Documentary Films, where she oversaw award-winning nonfiction programming for the network. Bernstein’s films and series have garnered multiple EMMY, Peabody and Academy Awards. In 2024, she was featured on Variety’s New York Women’s Impact List.
LIZ CARDENAS | BREAKING THROUGH THE LENS
MODERATOR
Liz Cardenas is a producer, writer/director, actor and Board Member at Breaking Through The Lens. A Sundance alum, she’s a 2022 Film Independent Spirit Award Winner for 7 DAYS, which she produced for Duplass Brothers Productions, and a 2019 Nominee for the A24 film NEVER GOIN’ BACK, which she produced with Sailor Bear. Liz was also nominated for the Producer Award at the 2023 Indie Spirits. Under her Ten to the Six Pictures, she has two features in post-production, a Sundance-supported feature in pre-production and several features in various stages of pre-production and development, including two she’s set to direct and one she’s written. A former journalist, Liz is a Gotham Cannes Producers Network, Rotterdam Lab and Film Independent Fellow; she’s supported by Richard Linklater’s Austin Film Society; she’s a Producers United, PGA, SAG-AFTRA and Latina Squad member; and she was included in the 2019 LATINXT, a curated list of emerging Latinx creators from an initiative by Zoe Saldana, Robert Rodriguez, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Some notable credits include David Lowery's A GHOST STORY starring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck; Alex Lehmann's ACIDIMAN starring Thomas Haden Church and Dianna Agron; Tribeca Award-winning feature film MATERNA; 2019 Outfest Best US Narrative Feature JULES OF LIGHT & DARK; and the Oscar-qualifying short film, BURROS, executive produced by Eva Longoria. Liz splits her time between LA and Dallas, where she grew up with her Hispanic father who immigrated to the US from Mexico City and Irish-American mother from the East Coast.