Audible Celebrates Creators and Innovative Storytelling at Sundance

“I find it really exciting to work with audio because there are so many opportunities,” said Daveed Diggs at the Sundance Film Festival, during a panel hosted by Audible and Variety about storytelling. The Hamilton star and award-winning multihyphenate was one of several luminaries who joined us at the festival’s final year in Park City, Utah, where we returned with our Filmmaker and Artist Welcome party, offered guests a warm, inviting experience at the Audible Listening Lodge on Main Street, and hosted insightful and intimate conversations with top talent.

In the Audible Lounge, we delved into the impact of storytelling with Diggs, as well as comedian and actor Iliza Shlesinger (Chasing Summer) and Audible’s Head of Regional Content for North America, Marshall Lewy. Shlesinger, who hosts the advice podcast AIA: Ask Iliza Anything, grew up listening to audiobooks and is a longtime fan of the form. She agreed with Diggs about working in audio, reporting that it gives her “a chance to flex a different muscle, and there’s an intimacy.” That intimacy helps to deepen storytelling’s ability to create empathy, which the panelists also explored. “I want to know what connects all of us,” said Shlesinger.

As a musician and the host of Audible’s Breakthrough, the first-ever audio-only singing competition, Diggs also appreciated recent advancements in the audio format and what they allow creatively. “The technology is getting better… the stuff we can do with sound now is crazy,” he said. Lewy added that Dolby Atmos is a prime example, as well as the immersive, cinematic listening experiences Audible is creating, like Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions.

James Finn, Audible’s Global Head of Brand and Content Marketing, says, “Everything we do at the festival, from collaborating with creators, to hosting intimate celebrity conversations and working with social media influencers, is about deepening connections between audiences and people who are moving culture forward through storytelling.”

This year we introduced a brand new, interactive experience for attendees. At the Audible Storybooth, a cozy ski-themed pod right off Main Street, hundreds of visitors recorded themselves telling stories of their favorite Sundance moments, capturing the legacy of the festival’s history in Park City.

Some of those story-worthy moments undoubtedly came from the Filmmaker and Artist Welcome Party, where we mingled with Transparent creator Joey Soloway; Kelly McCormack (A League of Their Own); Daniel Croix (actor/artist/filmmaker); and many more luminaries. In our heated yurt, guests enjoyed hot drinks and s’mores by day and craft cocktails by night, all with 360-degree views of Park City and the snow-capped mountains. “We transformed the space, designing an experience that felt genuinely inviting,” says Katja Lindemann, Audible’s Head of Activations and Events. “These are special moments where creators and customers can connect authentically, building cultural relevance through community.”

The Audible space hosted Amazon MGM Studios for an exclusive preview of the new comedy series, Bait, followed by a conversation with the series’ stars, Emmy Award winner and Academy Award nominee Riz Ahmed and comedian Guz Khan. Ahmed and Khan were also among many stars interviewed by social media phenom Reece Feldman, who joined us for a second year as Audible’s social correspondent. Feldman once again brought his renowned passion for film and entertainment to hilarious, in-depth chats with Channing Tatum, Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega, Judd Apatow, Chris Pine and Jenny Slate, and more. He was joined by Audible’s first-ever official field correspondent, podcaster and social media creator Juju Green (aka Straw Hat Goofy).

Since 2020, Audible has been proud to play a defining role at Sundance as the exclusive audio entertainment sponsor, building a presence rooted in the power of storytelling and elevating audio as a key cultural, cinematic medium. Says Finn, “Over the last six years, we’ve become part of Main Street and the festival's rhythm, with trusted gathering spaces, like the Audible Listening Lodge, that feel native, welcoming and essential. We design them from the ground up to belong at Sundance.”

Thanks to all the attendees for being part of Sundance and Audible’s story. And if you have a story from Sundance, share it on our virtual Storybooth until February 22.