Spotlight Events feature conversations with high-profile film and television artists and industry professionals who share helpful advice and insights on their career experiences and creative process.
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Megan Park’s hilarious and touching second feature, My Old Ass, had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival where it received rave reviews and was quickly acquired by Amazon Studios in a competitive bidding war. It will be released in select theaters September 13 and everywhere September 27. The film follows bright-yet-irreverent Elliott (Maisy Stella), an 18-year-old girl who comes face-to-face with her older self (Aubrey Plaza) during a mushroom trip the summer before college. Through Elliot’s funny and earnest journey of self-discovery and first love, she must decide if she’ll take her own advice to change her life before leaving her childhood home. The Hollywood Reporter called it a “warm blend of comedy, romance and whimsical collapsed-time fantasy” and highlighted Park’s distinguished voice as both a writer and director.
A seasoned film and television actor, Park made her feature directorial debut in 2022 with The Fallout starring Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler and Julie Bowen. The film, which she also wrote, received the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for Narrative Feature at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, as well as the festival’s Brightcove Illumination Award for Park’s screenplay. New York Times included The Fallout among their Critic’s Pick list and Park was included in Variety’s coveted annual “10 Directors to Watch for 2022.”
For this Spotlight Event, Park will discuss balancing comedy and tragedy, redefining the coming of age genre, creating a visual style that enhances your tone, and getting powerful performances.
If you would benefit from an accommodation to fully participate in this event, please complete this form, contact us at (435) 776-7790 , or email us at accessibility@sundance.org to discuss your specific needs. Every effort will be made to accommodate advance requests; requests made within 5 days of the event may not be guaranteed.
Live event registration for Sundance Collab Spotlight Events is free of charge. A recording of this event will be posted to our Video Library the next business day following the event. All registered attendees can watch the recording for two business days after it is posted. After that, on-demand access to the recording can be purchased for $5.
Megan Park is a director, writer, producer and actress with a uniquely authentic voice known for telling compelling stories that highlight heartfelt human experiences.
Park’s sophomore film, MY OLD ASS, produced by Margot Robbie’s Academy Award®-nominated LuckyChap and Steven Rales’ Academy Award®-nominated Indian Paintbrush, had its world premiere at Sundance, a first for Park, where the film received rave reviews and was quickly scooped by Amazon Studios in a competitive bidding war. It will be released in select theaters September 13 and everywhere September 27. The film follows bright-yet-irreverent Elliott (Maisy Stella), an 18-year-old girl who comes face-to-face with her older self (Aubrey Plaza) during a mushroom trip the summer before college. Through Elliot’s funny and earnest journey of self-discovery and first love, she must decide if she’ll take her own advice to change her life before leaving her childhood home. With a 91% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, The Hollywood Reporter called it a “warm blend of comedy, romance and whimsical collapsed-time fantasy” and highlighted Park’s distinguished voice as both a writer and director. Collider lauded Park by saying she “isn’t just two for two with solid films as a director. She’s made two true home runs. Such assured, soulful writing and directing.”
THE FALLOUT, Park’s directorial debut starring Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler and Julie Bowen, released to great acclaim on Max in January 2022. The film, which she also wrote, was the most discussed direct-to-streaming movie that year across all streaming platforms. A compelling exploration of the inexplicable resiliency of life and the hope that emerges out of loss, Variety hailed the film “a remarkable accomplishment” and The New York Times included THE FALLOUT among their Critic’s Pick list. Park received the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for Narrative Feature at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, as well as the festival’s Brightcove Illumination Award for her screenplay. Ahead of the film’s release, she was also included in Variety’s coveted annual “10 Directors to Watch for 2022.”
Her career as a filmmaker began with her 2017 short film, LUCY IN MY EYES, which premiered at the 2017 Austin Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short.
She has also written and directed campaigns and high-profile music videos for some of today's biggest artists such as Billie Eilish, Gucci Mane, Alina Baraz and Blackbear, which have grossed upwards of 500 million views, including short film GOODNIGHT for Janelle Monae’s “Beautiful Future” campaign. Park’s short films LISTEN TO ME and MEDICALLY SPEAKING both won a Bronze Lion at the Cannes Film Festival in the Not-for-profit/Charity categories for nonprofit organization IGNITE’s campaign #WriteTheRules.
Park’s projects as a writer/director come after an illustrious, award-winning career in front of the camera, which gave her the tools to work successfully with her actors, accommodating their various acting styles. She was last seen in the film DOG DAYS, starring Eva Longoria and Nina Dobrev, and can be seen in series MOODY CHRISTMAS, YOUNG SHELDON, IMPOSTERS, 9JKL, JANE THE VIRGIN, THE NEIGHBORS, HAPPY ENDINGS, ENTOURAGE, and for seven seasons on the ABC Family series THE SECRET LIFE OF AN AMERICAN TEENAGER.