America's Most Legendary Film Festival Is Looking For A New Home After 40 Years
For 40 years, the Sundance Film Festival has been the United States' preeminent market and showcase for independent film. Over this span, the festival has become famous not just for the groundbreaking movies it's premiered, but its wintry Park City, Utah setting. January is peak ski season in the once-sleepy resort town, which gives Hollywood execs, producers and artists extra incentive to skip town and squeeze in some time on the slopes while watching loads of new movies from some of the most talented and excitingly unconventional filmmakers on the planet.
This annual tradition could be coming to an end.
Today, the Sundance Institute announced that it is soliciting bids to relocate the 10-day festival. According to festival director Eugene Hernandez:
"We are in a unique moment for our festival and our global film community, and with the contract up for renewal, this exploration allows us to responsibly consider how we best continue sustainably serving our community while maintaining the essence of the festival experience."
He added that Sundance is "motivated by our commitment to ensure that the festival continues to thrive culturally, operationally, and financially as it has for four decades."
Sundance will receive requests for information from potential hosts between April 17 and May 1. It is believed that a new host city (for the 2027 Sundance Film Festival) will be announced by the end of this year.
A devastating blow to Park City's economy
It is unknown if the financial blow of the Covid pandemic, which forced the fest to go virtual in 2021 and 2022, impacted this decision.
Sundance's departure would be devastating for Park City's economy, and would negatively impact Utah's economy as well. In 2023, the festival raked in $63 million in wages and $12.8 million in tax revenue. Attendees spent a total of $96 million over the ten-day event, which in turn fattened the state's gross domestic product to the tune of $118.3 million. The timing is interesting, as the rapidly growing Salt Lake City is about to become home to the National Hockey League's Arizona Coyotes. The city is also currently in the running for a Major League Baseball expansion franchise. These developments are terrific for Salt Lake City and the state in general, but this will do nothing to fill the void left by the festival in Park City.
The festival is a source of tremendous pride for the resort town. The list of films and filmmakers launched by the event is staggering: Steven Soderbergh's "sex, lies, and videotape," Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs," Michael Moore's "Roger and Me," Kevin Smith's "Clerks" and Alison Anders' "Gas, Food, and Lodging" are an infinitesimally small sampling of the talent that owe their careers in large part to the festival. And Sundance has lost none of its relevance, as proven by the Grand Jury-winning "CODA" becoming the first festival movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
But don't count Park City out of the running just yet.
Park City won't lose Sundance without a fight
The Sundance Film Festival is under contract to Park City until October 2026, so the next two events will be held in Utah. In the meantime, Park City plans to do everything in its power to convince the Sundance Institute to stay put. According to Park City Mayor Nann Worel:
"When the Sundance Film Festival first came to Park City in 1985, it was buoyed by a tight knit and passionate group of individuals who worked together to provide a voice for independent storytellers that became impactful beyond anyone's imagination.
The same could be said about Park City; 40 years ago, we were just starting to realize what this place could become. As Sundance grew, so did we — into a world-class mountain town that welcomes the world year-round.
We appreciate our partnership with Sundance, and we want the Festival to remain here for another 40 years. We will not be alone in the effort to ensure that Utah remains host to diverse new voices from around the globe. With gratitude to the thousands of volunteers, our dedicated workforce, our residents, and the passion of our visitor and resident film lovers — we will work collaboratively with all our state and local partners on next steps."
We'll keep you posted as to how the Sundance Institute's bidding process plays out over the next few months.