Sundance Film Festival to relocate to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027

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After a year of searches, Sundance Film Festival announced Thursday that its new home will be Boulder, Colorado, keeping Sundance on the hill but moving it out of Park City, Utah Ski Town (Utah Ski Town) has provided the main independent film for decades, bringing its picturesque snow backdrop.

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Organizers say the festival has surpassed Park City after spending 40 years on the hill, lacking the necessary theater or affordable housing to continue to host one of the largest film events in North America. Sundance narrowed down to the choices of Salt Lake City (the existence of Park City), Cincinnati and Boulder.

Boulder’s choice was because of its very close proximity to nature, its small town charm and a dedicated community that provides the ideal future environment for Sundance, the organizers said.

“Boulder is a tech town, a university town, an art town, a mountain town,” Amanda Kelso, acting CEO of the Sundance Institute, said in an interview with Boulder Thursday. “Of courses out of 100,000 people, a larger town than Parker City provides us with room for expansion.”

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Kelso is the chairman of the board of directors of Sundance College Ebs Burnough and festival director Eugene Hernandez, who is also the director of the program, shortly before announcing the festival to be held in Boulder. The decision was appreciated, and they lured Sundance with a $34 million tax credit.

“In our state, we celebrate the arts and film industry with major economic drivers, job seekers and our thriving cultural contributors,” Colorado Governor Jared Polis said in a statement.

Sundance founder Robert Redford acknowledged changes

The transition from Park City to Boulder meant Sundance staying at altitude but gave up on the expensive ski town. The city of Colorado also maintains a sense of nature around it—an organizer highlighted a factor in their decision. Boulder offers similar central hubs, such as Park City’s Avenue, four blocks of Pearl Street and nearby theaters.

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The Sundance Institute was founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, who seeks to stay away from Hollywood to a place where independent voices are fostered in the film. In 1984, the institute took over the Sundance Film Festival, but the nonprofit’s mission is to help young filmmakers grow through labs and workshops – Redford’s true passion – stay away from the festival’s year-round.

Redford, 88, attended the University of Colorado in Boulder when he was young, and his blessings gave him his blessings.

“Words cannot express my sincere gratitude to Park City, Utah and all those who helped build the organization,” Redford said in a statement. “What we create is very special, defined. Since change is inevitable, we must always develop and grow, which is the core of our existence.”

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How to choose a new home in Sundance

The festival makes “spiritual and fair values” one of its criteria, prompting many to wonder how much local politics will have on Sundance’s choices, which emphasizes inclusion. Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is currently weighing a bill that would prohibit certain flags from flying on schools and government buildings, including LGBTQ Pride Flag.

Organizers say Boulder’s welcome environment fits with the spirit of Sundance Film Festival’s development in Park City. ”

“This process began 18 months ago, and we’ve been in Utah for 40 years. So politics really doesn’t guide the process,” Burnough said Thursday. “It’s really about evolution. That’s how it lands. We’re not constantly taking the time to study what the bill is going on or may not be signed or may not be signed.”

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With the current contract expiration date looming, the pursuit of the new host country began in April 2024. The initial panel of six contenders also includes Atlanta, Louisville, Kentucky and Santa Fe in New Mexico.

What Sundance means to Park City and the world of movies

Before packing, Sundance will hold its final edition in January 2026 in Park City.

“The Sundance Film Festival will be Sundance Film Festival wherever we go. Our mission is consistent,” Hernandez said. “It’s a festival of global discovery. What’s exciting about Boulder is that this is where we can build.”

Over the years, Sundance in Park City has poured into the major markets of American films, drawing studio directors and celebrities wearing Packa to the Wasatch Mountains each January. From Steven Soderbergh (“Sex, Lies and Video Tapes”) to Ryan Coogler (“Fruitvale Station”), it helped launch countless filmmakers. Sundance won the first Best Picture Championship in 2022 with Coda.

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Sundance means big business in Utah and Park City. In 2024, the festival had approximately 72,840 face-to-face attendees, of which 24,200 were from outside the state. According to the festival’s economic impact report, out-of-state tourists spent an estimated $106.4 million in Utah during the festival. Its economic impact is estimated at $132 million, with Utah residents having 1,730 jobs and Utah’s salary of $69.7 million.

But the festival also gets along with the local ski resorts_other major currency makers in Park City – the festival audience fills the hotel with hotels, and during the peak ski season, the almost empty hillsides. This festival is a boon for some local businesses, but a barrier for others. For tourists flying to the 10-day festival, more and more rental costs are increasing.

Cox had urged Sundance to stay in Utah, but said the state’s economy would be OK if it lost its holiday.

All three top contenders are budgeting millions to attract lucrative festivals to their cities. Cincinnati has set aside $2.5 million for Sundance, if elected, $2.5 million. Salt Lake City offered Utah $3.5 million in Sundance.

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