Because the Dramatic Main Competition category can only hold so many titles, the Spectrum becomes a second option for Sundance staff to include some more dramatic fair. 12 of the 16 selected are world premieres (I caught Johnny Mad Dog at Cannes and missed out on Lymelife at TIFF) from returnee directors such as Sterlin Harjo, Jeff Lipsky and Bobcat Goldthwait.
A little cash can go a long way when developing a screenplay, and if you happen to be working on anything related to “stories about science and technology or portray scientists, engineers and mathematicians as major characters” then a hand over from the Tribeca Film Institute’s TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund should be among your priorities.