The Sundance Film Festival may kick the snow off its boots once and for all.
The annual celebration of independent film announced on Wednesday that it is open for pitches from cities across the United States on becoming the new permanent home of the festival starting in 2027.
Sundance has taken place in the luxury mountain haven of Park City, Utah since its inception (bar two virtual years during the pandemic). They will remain host and headquarters of Sundance for two more years, at which point Park City’s contract with the Sundance Institute is up for renewal. Utah will remain in the mix as a continued home for Sundance.
“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, adding the group is “motivated by our commitment to ensure that the festival continues to thrive culturally, operationally, and financially as it has for four decades.”
Beginning April 17, a Sundance special committee will accept RIFs (requests for information) from hopeful hosts through May 1. The process will move to a proposal stage which will conclude by the end of June, insiders said. Founder Redford and his daughter and board member Amy Redford will be involved in the process. A final host city will be announced by the end of 2024 or in early 2025.
“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, Sundance Institute Board Chair.
