One of the most prestigious movie industry events is looking for a new host city.
According to a Variety report, the Sundance Film Festival has launched a Request for Information (RIF) process for U.S. cities that would be interested in hosting the annual celebration of independently produced films. RIFs are being accepted through May 1 and the selected city will be announced either at the end of this year or early next year.
Sundance has been held since 1981 in the luxury resort setting of Park City, Utah (excluding two years of virtual presentations during the Covid-19 pandemic); the festival’s earliest years as the Utah/U.S. Film Festival took place in Salt Lake City from 1978 through 1980. Park City’s contract with the festival’s parent organization Sundance Institute is up for renewal and the event could conceivably remain in Utah – but if a new city is chosen, it would become Sundance’s next home beginning in 2027.
“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,” said Eugene Hernandez, festival director and head of public programming, who added the RIF process was “motivated by our commitment to ensure that the festival continues to thrive culturally, operationally, and financially as it has for four decades.”
“We look forward to reviewing each proposal and working together with all of our potential collaborators to determine how we can collectively meet the needs of the independent film ecosystem and broader creative community,” added Ebs Burnough, chairman of the Sundance Institute.
Photo: Park City, Utah, during the Sundance Film Festival, courtesy of Michael R. Perry / Flickr Creative Commons
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