After more than four decades of Calling Park City at home, the Sundance Film Festival officially moved to Boulder, Colorado, starting from 2027.
The decision is a great change for the world -renowned festival, which has been synonymous with Utah’s ski city since its beginning. While it could be a surprise for some, for those who follow the trajectory of the festival in recent years, the move seemed inevitable.
I’m a little sad that Sundance is moving in Colorado. I had a lot of fun participating in the event in Park City in the last 18 years. I also have a family in the area with which I can stay for free during the event. I don’t have it in Co, so next year it could be the last year I will participate in.
Boulder beat Cincinnati, Ohio and the last effort of Utah to keep the sundance in his hometown, eventually winning the offer with a strong financial proposal and a vision for the future of the Festival.
The road to Boulder was paved by a perfect sparrow storm in the sector, logistical frustrations and a post-pandic recovery. Sundance has fought with the limits of Park City, the overcrowded places, the high costs and the accessibility challenges, which made the festival more and more difficult both for professionals in the sector and for independent filmmakers who scrape travel budgets.
“Part of the decision -making process concerned the opportunity for growth,” said Amanda Kelso, CEO of the Sundance Institute. “This is also an important factor for us. Knowing that we can be in a city that has 100,000 people means that it has more offices, more spaces and more opportunities on how we can be expansive than the festival that go on.”
The search for a new house was set in motion last year when the Sundance Institute formally opened offers to other cities. Boulder rapidly emerged as a non -frontatrunner, thanks to its artistic scene, the strong local support and the profitable tax incentive of 34 million dollars that spread in a decade.
In addition to financial incentives, Boulder offered something that Park City could no longer compete with … accessibility and sustainability. With a population of about 100,000, Boulder has more infrastructures to support the evolution needs of the festival.
It is a vibrant university city with a strong artistic and technological presence, which aligns the push of Sunday for a wider and more inclusive audience.
“From the point of view of space, it is this really lively city surrounded by nature,” added Kelso. “You can imagine walking from one venue to another, metabolizing the film you just saw and communicated with nature, which is something that Robert Redford seemed so strong.
“When you think of a perspective of meaning of the place, Boulder is an interesting city, it is an artistic city. There are poets, musicians and filmmakers who live here. It is a technological city. It is also a university city: 38,000 students attend the University of Colorado Boulder and this creates an opportunity to think about the development of the public in a more expansive way.”
The success of Sundance’s Directors Lab in Boulder in May 2024 also contributed to consolidating the move. Logistically, Boulder is closer to Los Angeles than in Park City, making it easier for professionals in the sector to participate without facing high altitude struggles that Park City presented.
While Boulder may not have the charm of Park City’s ski city, it is located 5,420 feet on the sea level, which is significantly less than 7000-10,000 Park City feet, giving the festival experience a little easier to navigate.
Utah did not let Sundance go without fighting. Governor Spencer Cox and state officials have climbed in recent months to put together an offer to keep the Festival in Park City. But in the end, Boulder’s offer was simply too strong to be beaten.
“Colorado is enthusiastic about welcoming the Sundance Film Festival in his new home in Boulder starting from 2027,” said the Governor of Colorado Jared Polis. “Here in our state, we celebrate the artistic and cinematographic industry as an economic pilot, a creator of jobs and an important contribution to our flourishing culture.
“Now, with the addition of the iconic Sundance Film Festival, we can expect even more jobs, a huge advantage for our small businesses including shops and restaurants.”
With Boulder blocked like Sundance’s future house, the countdown starts for the final festival of Park City, which will take place from 22 January to 1 February 2026. The last cheerfulness should be a great sending, with the organizers who already plan a festival that will honor its long history in Utah.
“We are already working at the next Sundance Film Festival,” said the director of the Eugene Hernandez Festival. “It will be really significant and special for us.”
The move is sweet and sour for many people. Park City and Sundance have intertwined for decades, but with the requests in the evolution sector, the Festival had to adapt.
Boulder represents a new beginning and a possibility of redefining Sunday for a new generation of filmmakers and public.
By Joey Gour
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
