The Sundance Institute announced six finalists Friday in its search for a new home for its influential film festival.
After 40 years in Park City, Utah, the organization is looking at other locations in the United States to hold festivals starting in 2027, when its current contract expires.
The snow-capped city, along with Salt Lake City, will still host the 2025 and 2026 festivals. Park City is still one of six options for the next contract.
The other five finalists are Atlanta, Cincinnati, Boulder, Louisville and Santa Fe. These cities are moving forward in the selection process after a bidding phase that began in May.
Potential host cities were selected for their ability to support the growth of the film festival and will continue to be evaluated based on their infrastructure, accessibility, event venues, logistical capabilities and alignment with Sundance values.
“We are thinking very carefully about this important decision for our festival. We believe these six finalists offer us the best opportunity not only to ensure a sustainable future for our festival, but also to build on its legacy by continuing to support the next generation of storytellers and showcase bold and innovative works of art,” said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute Board Chair, and Amanda Kelso, Interim President and CEO.
“We are grateful to all the communities that expressed interest and participated in the process, and we appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the uniqueness of each location,” the statement continued. “We look forward to visiting each of the finalist cities on-site.”
Launching ramp
Sundance has long been a launching pad for independent filmmakers, supporting the early careers of Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino and many others. Festival winners often become some of the most acclaimed films of the year. Last year, the festival produced Past Lives by Celine Song, nominated for best picture and best screenplay. Other Sundance titles that made it to the Oscars include 2020 Best Picture winner CODA, Summer Of Soul And Minari.
The Sundance Institute noted that each of the finalist cities has strong arts communities with diverse cultural backgrounds and potential for growth. The festival founded by Robert Redford has itself grown considerably since its inception.
Mr. 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 considering ways to evolve it. He and his daughter Amy Redford, who is on the board, were involved in the selection process, according to an announcement in April.
The mayors and governors of each of the selected cities issued statements expressing their excitement about the festival moving to their city (or staying there). Mayors Nann Worel of Park City, Erin Mendenhall of Salt Lake City, and Jenny Wilson of Salt Lake County issued statements highlighting the dual-city hosting model, likely in response to concerns that Park City was no longer a good fit for the ever-expanding festival.
“We are committed to working in partnership on a new vision of ‘two cities, one experience’ with a shared goal of reinvigorating the festival with an even greater storytelling tradition over the next 40 years,” the mayor said in their statement.
Members of the Sundance Institute selection committee will visit each of the finalist cities in the coming weeks, with a final decision expected in early 2025.