The rumors are true. After 40 years, the Sundance Film Festival may (and an emphasis on “may”) be leaving the confines of Park City, Utah. Today, acting CEO Amanda Kelso and Festival Director Eugene Hernandez reached out to the larger “Sundance Industry Community” to inform them that a process to potentially relocate the festival was underway.
READ MORE: Sundance announces dates for the 2025 Film Festival
Beginning today, a Request for Information (RFI) for potential new cities is open until May 1. During this period, cities, towns, and municipalities interested in hosting the festival can reach out to express their interest and more information from the Institute. The festival will then transition to a Request for Proposal (RFP) phase and note they have specifically asked the State of Utah to submit a proposal.
An announcement on a new location for the 2027 festival is expected no later than the first quarter of 2025. It is possible an announcement will revealed, or likely leaked, beforehand. The 2025 and 2026 editions of the festival will absolutely take place in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, with a majority of events in the former as has been the status quo for four decades.
In their correspondence, Kelso and Hernandez noted, “The town and the state have become synonymous with Sundance and are a seminal and foundational part of who we are as a Festival and as an Institute. We have the deepest acknowledgment and respect for that history as we move forward with this RFI process.” That being said, the festival has had issues with its “home” for over a decade. And, more importantly, the institute’s finances are in play.
According to a report in The Wrap, the Institute has lost money over two of the past three years. Notably, in 2022, the year it made $12 million in profit, the festival segued to a digital edition because of the Omicron strain of the COVID virus. The Festival returned in full to Park City, with notably lower attendance in 2023 before more traditional packed screenings this past January. This news also comes after the surprising departure of Joanna Vicente as CEO last month after just three years on the job.
In 2020, Sundance founder Robert Redford sold the Sundance Mountain Resort which was the home to the Sundance Institute’s year-round workshop program.
The question for Sundance, like many film festivals without substantial government funding, is how can it survive in an era with less corporate sponsorship and if Park City is large enough to allow for substantial ticket sales to cover costs. A large city or municipality would not only allow for more screenings or larger venues but more hotel rooms (or AirBnB inventory) for attendees. And, in theory, more inventory should mean lower overall costs for accommodations, a major problem for the festival this century.
Additionally, many longtime attendees have complained about the lack of energy in Park City since the city began cracking down on pop-ups and nighttime events on or near historic Main Street. Much of that buzz has traveled south to Austin, where SXSW has often stolen some of Sundance’s thunder (at least from a newsworthy perspective).
New cities that might be interested in snagging Sundance are all speculative, but Sante Fe, New Mexico, and Denver, Colorado, likely would be in the mix. One would assume Sundance would keep the event on the West Coast and in a somewhat snowy enclave, but like many things in the entertainment industry at this juncture, everything may be on the table.
Here’s the full correspondence sent out to the Sundance Industry Community…
“Dear Sundance Industry Community,
Reaching out to you as a valuable member of our Sundance community to share some news that will shape the future of our beloved Festival.
With our current contract with Park City up for renewal beginning with the 2027 Festival, we have a responsibility to identify ways to secure the future of the festival for generations to come. We are announcing the opening of a Request for Information (RFI) that will be followed by a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to explore viable locations in the U.S., including Utah, to host the Sundance Film Festival beginning in 2027. The Festival will remain in Park City in 2025 and 2026. The location decision will only impact Sundance in 2027 and subsequent years.
The central mission of this process is to preserve the artist-centered, audience-engaging, inclusive experience for the film community that is essential to Sundance. It will allow us to evaluate, consider, and build on the foundation for a vibrant and accessible Festival for our growing global independent creative community.
This will be a deliberative, thoughtful process that will unfold over the next several months. Starting today, April 17, the RFI window opens. The RFI will close on May 1. During the RFI period cities, towns, and municipalities interested in hosting the Festival can reach out to express their interest and receive information. We will then move into the RFP process. We are in touch with our longtime collaborators in the state of Utah to encourage them to submit a proposal. One of many possible outcomes is the Festival could remain in Park City and Salt Lake City. We hope to conclude the selection process no later than the first quarter of 2025.
As you know, the Festival has grown and evolved immensely since the first edition 40 years ago in 1985, becoming the pre-eminent gathering of original storytellers and audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives and supporting independent film. The Festival had a record number of submissions this year — more than 17,000 from 153 countries were considered — reflecting a continued vitality in the independent film industry and a continued love for our festival from around the world.
Park City and the state of Utah has been our home for more than 40 years. The town and the state have become synonymous with Sundance, and are a seminal and foundational part of who we are as a Festival and as an Institute. We have the deepest acknowledgment and respect for that history as we move forward with this RFI process.
Please know that we recognize the significance of this moment as well as our immense responsibility to serve our independent film community, inclusive of our artists, audiences, volunteers, staff, and all of you. We are fully motivated by our commitment to ensure that the Festival continues to thrive culturally, operationally, and financially as it has done for four decades.
As we embark on this journey, your continued support and involvement is vital in helping us build on the legacy of our Festival.
Stay tuned,
Amanda Kelso, Acting CEO, Eugene Hernandez, Festival Director and head of public programming”
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival is scheduled from January 23 – February 2.
