We haven’t even begun the circuit of fall film festivals this year, but the folks at Sundance are already deep into planning their 2022 event. And with COVID cases spiking around the US, it appears the Sundance organizers aren’t going to take any chances, with a vaccination requirement for all of those people that want to attend the event.
According to an open letter from festival director Tabitha Jackson, next January’s Sundance Film Festival will require all attendees to have proof of COVID vaccination if they want to go to in-person screenings and events.
“As we plan for the 2022 Festival, one of our most important considerations is how best to safely bring together artists, audiences, volunteers, and staff from around the world,” said Jackson. “As part of our commitment to this community, we will be requiring all participants attending the Festival, or Sundance-affiliated events, in-person in Utah to be fully vaccinated. We are providing this information now to ensure that all in-person participants feel comfortable attending and can adjust their travel plans if needed. We will share our full details and processes for health precautions closer to the Festival, including theater capacity along with information on mask-wearing. We will continue to assess other elements of health and safety protocols regularly and in accordance with best practices.”
And even though it appears Sundance will be going back to in-person events in 2022, the festival wants to keep some of what it learned from the 2021 digital version of the festival alive in the years to come.
“The soul of Sundance has always been in the coming together of a community: around new voices, new work, new forms, and new perspectives. During last year’s Festival, even when denied the chance to gather in a single place, the power of converging in a single moment was undeniable,” Jackson added. “We were able to expand the possibility of who could take part. And as we prepare for 2022, we remain committed to this invitation to new audiences.”
With a recent decision for New York City to require COVID vaccinations for indoor events, and other cities likely following suit, it’s not all that shocking to see a film festival make the requirement. It’ll just be interesting to see how/if this affects Sundance next year. The 2022 Sundance Film Festival is set to begin on January 20, 2022.