Sundance might hit the snowy trail out of Utah

The snow-packed film festival has been in Park City, Utah, since the early ‘80s

By Matt Schimkowitz | April 17, 2024 | 9:13pm

Aux News Sundance

Sundance might hit the snowy trail out of Utah

Sundance Film Festival
Photo: George Frey (EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

There comes a time in every film festival’s life when they must flee the nest. Having spent the better part of 40 years in Park City, Utah, the Sundance Film Festival may be looking to spread its wings and fly within the year. Per Variety, the Sundance Institute’s contract with Park City is nearly up, and they are casting their gaze outside of Utah’s snowy borders. The Insitute is currently requesting information from prospective hosts, who can submit information on their movie theater or man cave venues. (Hot tip for man cave dwellers looking to host: You can sweeten the deal by noting the cave has an old-timey popcorn machine and a really sick Godfather 2 poster.) A new host city will be announced in late 2024 or early 2025.

While renewing the contract and staying put in Park City is still an option, Eugene Hernandez, festival director and head of public programming, says the organization is “responsibly” considering how to “sustainably [serve] our community while maintaining the essence of the festival experience.” Of course, dealing with the cold and snow has been part of the festival experience since 1978, when Sundance went by the cleaner name, the Utah/U.S. Film Festival in Salt Lake City. What even is a Sundance Film Festival, if not a social experiment to test how Angelenos deal with the freezing temperatures and 15 inches of fresh powder? But, at least according to Variety, “reclusive millionaires and hardcore skiers are tired” of hosting Hollywood types looking to sell their wares. No, no one wants to buy a slightly used Cat Person. Maybe they’ll have better luck in a warmer city.