DALLAS, Jan. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest
Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) continues its partnership with
the Sundance Institute and the renowned Sundance Film Festival as a
means of supporting independent filmmakers and the creative
community. This year's partnership focuses on filmmakers who are
forging their own paths in the field of short films. The
partnership also centers on the creation of video content that
celebrates the magic of storytelling through a collaboration with
Reaa Puri, celebrated filmmaker, alumna member of the Sundance
Collective Artist Community, and co-founder of Breaktide
Productions, an all women-of color owned film Production
Company.
As the presenting sponsor of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival
Short Film program, Southwest celebrates the 50 short films
selected to premiere in the Festival and congratulates the
filmmakers who have earned this prestigious honor.
"A good story holds immense power, and we're proud to support
the creatives dedicated to the craft and art of storytelling," said
Brandy King, Director of External
Communication which includes Brand Partnerships and Entertainment
Public Relations. "We're honored to, again, partner with the
Sundance Institute to celebrate filmmakers at the absolute premier
event in film, Sundance Film Festival."
"The Sundance Film Festival Short Film line-up showcases the
amazing talent of the filmmakers, whose films span a range of
topics," said Mike Plante, Senior
Programmer, Short Film at Sundance. "We are grateful for our
partnership with Southwest to support these creatives and continue
our mission to build a community dedicated to independent
storytelling."
As a visual love letter to storytelling, Reaa Puri created a
video for Southwest Airlines to give viewers a behind-the-scenes
glimpse at the creative process of filmmaking. This video will play
in the virtual waiting rooms before film screenings on the Sundance
Film Festival platform, be featured on the Festival Main Street,
and be shared on Southwest's social channels in the coming days as
the Festival kicks off.
"This piece is a letter of love and gratitude to storytelling,
to a diverse community of storytellers, and to the artist and
dreamer that lives inside us all," said Puri. "In my own work, I am
learning that the creative process is sacred. It is to be
cherished; it is to be celebrated and shared with community. I hope
other artists view this piece as an affirmation to follow their
wildest dreams and creative pursuits. Our stories hold immeasurable
power and need telling. But beyond the final product, our
intentional approach to the creative process is making way for a
liberated, just, equitable, pleasurable, and compassionate world to
be born."
Sundance fans and Festival attendees can experience the Music
Speakeasy, Sound & Vision, presented by Southwest Airlines,
which will take place Monday, Feb. 1
from 9:00 p.m.– 9:45 p.m. Central
Time. This unconventional audio/visual experience will
feature artists Bardo (Chicano Batman), Aliana Castillo, Ant Clemons, Blue DeTiger,
Elissa Miekle, Enny, Frances
Forever, Jensen McRae, Orion Sun,
Tekno, Sofia Valdes and Viagra Boys,
in an exclusive series of performances that will get everyone
grooving from the comfort of their living rooms.
Southwest Customers can enjoy Sundance Film Festival content
onboard through on-demand TV series channels on the Inflight
Entertainment Portal. The Sundance Film Festival Shorts channel
features short films from the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, and will
include a selection of shorts from the 2021 Film Festival in the
coming months. The Journey to Sundance channel follows emerging
filmmaker, Bridget Moloney, as she
premieres her short film, "Blocks," at the 2020 Sundance Film
Festival.
Following the Festival, Southwest will sponsor the Sundance Film
Festival Shorts Film Tour, which will showcase select short films
at venues across the country, public health permitting.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 50th year of
service, Dallas-based Southwest
Airlines Co. continues to differentiate itself from other
air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by
nearly 58,000 Employees to a Customer base that
topped 130 million Passengers in 2019. Southwest has a robust
network of point-to-point service with a strong presence across top
leisure and business markets. In peak travel seasons during
2019, Southwest operated more than 4,000 weekday departures among a
network of 101 destinations in the United
States and 10 additional countries. In 2020, the carrier
added service to Hilo, Hawaii;
Cozumel, Mexico; Miami, Palm Springs,
Calif., Steamboat Springs, and Montrose (Telluride), Colo. In 2021, Southwest
will begin service to both Chicago
(O'Hare) and Sarasota/Bradenton on Feb.
14; both Savannah/Hilton Head
and Colorado Springs on March 11;
both Houston (Bush) and Santa Barbara, Calif. on April 12; Fresno,
Calif. on April 25; and
Jackson, Miss., on June 6.
The carrier issued
its Southwest® Promise in
May 2020 to highlight new and
round-the-clock efforts to support its Customers and Employees
well-being and comfort. Among the changes are enhanced cleaning
efforts at airports and onboard aircraft, and face
covering requirements for Customers and Employees. Additional
details about the Southwest Promise are available
at Southwest.com/Promise.
Southwest coined Transfarency® to
describe its purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and
fairly, and low fares actually staying low. Southwest is the only
major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free® to everyone
(first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits
apply, some carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in
qualified circumstances). Southwest does not charge change fees,
though fare differences might apply.
Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world,
known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the
carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its
People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to
efficiency and the planet. Learn more about how the carrier gives
back to communities across the world by
visiting Southwest.com/citizenship.
Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at
Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.
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SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.