The catastrophic Pacific Palisades fire has destroyed the family home of Sundance Institute‘s beloved founding senior director of artist programs Michelle Satter and her husband David Latt, a veteran Hollywood writer and producer.
Satter shared the tragic news on Instagram Thursday by reposting details first shared by the couple’s son, Franklin Latt, a high-profile CAA agent who serves as co-head of the powerhouse agency’s motion picture talent department.
“Our family home was lost to the fire and hometown completely devastated,” revealed Franklin Latt, himself a beloved figure in the business and rep to countless stars including Meryl Streep, Michelle Pfeiffer, Zendaya, Pedro Pascal, Charlize Theron, Viola Davis and Elizabeth Olsen. “Thankfully we’re safe. So many have lost everything and need support. Let’s all lead with love.”
Added Satter in her follow-up post: “Our heart goes out to everyone who’s experiencing loss during this devastating time in our city. Sending love and support and hoping we can all find a way forward.”
The news was met by comforting comments from many industry insiders including filmmaker Ava DuVernay, who posted, “My heart is with you and your family. One of the strongest families I know. Bless you all. Praying and pulling for you all.”
Added filmmaker Rachel Morrison: “Your family has been through the unfathomable and now again. Sending you resilience and love and the strength to keep on. Let me know if I can do anything from the ground.”
Morrison’s “unfathomable” mention refers to the tragic murder of Michael Latt, the couple’s son and brother of Franklin who was fatally shot in November 2023 by a homeless woman who admitted to forcing her way into Michael’s Miracle Mile home and holding him and his fiancée at gunpoint. She was sentenced last July to 35 years to life in prison. Michael, a passionate social justice leader with strong ties to the community, was the founder of entertainment marketing firm Lead With Love. In the wake of tragedy, the family established the Michael Latt Legacy Fund.
The Satter-Latt family is among thousands who have lost homes this week including Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, Anna Faris, Paris Hilton, Bozoma Saint John, Jeff Bridges, Billy Crystal, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, Cary Elwes, James Woods, Diane Warren, Cameron Mathison, Ricki Lake, Jhené Aiko, record producer Lou Adler and stylist Maeve Reilly, among scores of others.
Los Angeles County has been ravaged by fires this week, which began on Tuesday and continue to devastate the area from the coast to Pasadena. The Palisades Fire is now being reported as the most destructive in Los Angeles history, claiming more than 5,300 structures, which refers to homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles across nearly 20,000 acres. A separate blaze, the Eaton Fire, which has consumed Altadena and nearby areas, has burned more than 5,000 structures and roughly 14,000 acres, per officials. Accuweather has estimated the fires’ damage and economic loss to $135-$150 billion.
The Los Angeles area fires are happening as the industry prepares for the Sundance Film Festival, which is slated to kick off in Park City on Jan. 23 with a lineup that includes films starring Jennifer Lopez, Dev Patel, Chloe Sevigny, Juliette Lewis and Bowen Yang. As of now, the fest is set to continue as scheduled. Several awards season events and red carpet premieres have been postponed due to the fires, including the Critics Choice Awards, while Oscars voting has been extended for two additional days, with the Oscar nominations announcement also pushed back by two days.
Satter is poised to be in the spotlight during the festival’s opening days as a marquee honoree at Celebrating Sundance Institute presented by Google TV at Park City’s new Grand Hyatt Deer Valley on Jan. 24. Satter started at the Sundance Institute way back in 1981, working alongside Robert Redford. They worked together with a team to hatch a plan to support independent storytellers through an annual June filmmakers lab. Over the years, she’s also been integral in building the episodic program, producers program and the Institute’s global initiatives. She also oversees the Indigenous, catalyst and documentary film programs and is credited with founding the global digital platform Sundance Collab.
She is seen as an influential mentor to generations of auteurs like Quentin Tarantino, Chloé Zhao, Dee Rees, John Cameron Mitchell, Paul Thomas Anderson, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Ryan Coogler, Miranda July, Kimberly Peirce, Darren Aronofsky, Sterlin Harjo, Taika Waititi and more. She recently received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, aka an honorary Oscar, presented at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ 2024 Governors Awards.
English (US) ·