PARK CITY, Utah – The Sundance Film Festival doesn’t always call Park City, Utah, home. The Sundance Institute has begun exploring the possibility of other U.S. locations hosting the independent film festival starting in 2027, the organization said Wednesday.
The 2025 and 2026 festivals will still take place in Park City and Salt Lake City. But with the current contract up for renewal in 2027, the institute is taking steps to analyze all options through a request for information and request for proposal process, starting immediately. The final selection, which could still be Park City, is expected to be announced in early 2025.
“We are at 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 best to continue serving our community in a sustainable way, while maintaining at the same time the essence of the Festival experience”, he said. Eugene Hernandez, festival director.
Hernandez said he wants to “ensure the Festival continues to thrive culturally, operationally and financially as it has for four decades.”
Park City is home to the festival founded by Robert Redford 40 years ago. The festival and its sponsors take over various locations in the small town every January to transform it into a film festival hub with theaters in places like the library and a recreation center. Storefronts along the city’s charming main street become exclusive lounges for actors and filmmakers, and restaurants host cast parties after global film premieres.
Mayor Nann Worel said she doesn’t want the festival to leave Park City, which has become a world-renowned mountain town since Sundance first put it on the map decades ago.
“We appreciate our partnership with Sundance and want the Festival to be here for another 40 years,” said Worel.
She committed Wednesday to working with state leaders and local partners to discuss the future of the festival. Last year’s hybrid festival generated just over $118 million for the state of Utah, according to Sundance’s 2023 economic impact report.
Sundance has also been a launching pad for many important filmmakers over the years and has hosted premieres for eventual Oscar nominees and winners, including “CODA,” its first best picture winner, and the last three documentary winners “20 Days.” in Mariupol.” Navalny” and “Summer of the Soul”. The Utah festival received a record number of entries last year.
The festival has long competed with local ski resorts — another big Park City moneymaker — as more than 86,000 festival-goers fill hotels and leave the slopes virtually empty for two weeks during peak ski season.
The festival has made concessions over the years, such as moving more screenings to nearby Salt Lake City and changing its dates slightly so that ski areas could cash in on a holiday weekend. But, just like the resorts, you can’t miss the first weeks of winter. Sundance has positioned itself as the first major film festival of each calendar year, which means it’s the first stop for many of the best new projects from around the world.
Deer Valley Resort, home to Park City’s ski-only slopes, said Wednesday that it views its relationship with Sundance as mutually beneficial and strongly supports keeping the festival in the city.
“Just like Deer Valley, the Sundance Film Festival is an integral part of Park City and greater Utah,” spokeswoman Emily Summers said in a statement. “We support the festival and its long history in the community.”
“Park City Mountain appreciates everything the Sundance Film Festival brings to our community each year and we hope it continues to call Park City and Utah home,” said Sara Huey, spokeswoman for Park City Mountain Resort.
Redford, who stepped away from the Sundance spotlight years ago, expressed concern in 2016 that the festival as it existed might have outgrown Park City and was thinking about ways to evolve. He and his daughter, Amy Redford, who serves on the board, were involved in the process announced Wednesday.
Last month, the Institute’s CEO, Joana Vicente, stepped down after two and a half years in office. Board member Amanda Kelso was named interim CEO, but no permanent replacement has been announced.
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