Sundance has narrowed its list of finalists down from six potential host cities to just three and now says a final decision will come after next year’s Sundance Film Festival in Q1 2025.
The three finalist locations for Sundance beginning in 2027 are: Park City/Salt Lake City, Utah; Boulder, Colorado; and Cincinnati, Ohio.
After announcing a group of six finalists back in July, a selection committee with the Sundance Institute over the last two months conducted site visits of all six locations and has now settled on these three based on ethos, equity values, infrastructure, and capabilities to host Sundance, as well as how they hope to foster a community of indie filmmakers in the future.
For now Sundance will stay put primarily in Park City both in 2025 and 2026, and the festival will begin its transition to the new host starting in 2027.
“As we move to the next phase in our search for a sustainable home for the Sundance Film Festival, we see great promise and potential in Boulder, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake/Park City. Each has shown us the blend of exciting possibilities, values, and logistics needed to produce a vibrant, inviting, and inclusive Festival. We’re excited for a future Sundance that can discover, support, and inspire artists and audiences for the next 40 years,” said Eugene Hernandez, Festival Director and Head of Public Programming.
“We are deeply grateful to all the finalists and appreciate the partnership and ingenuity we found in the three moving forward, as well as Atlanta, Louisville, and Santa Fe this summer. Leaders and locals in each community generously welcomed and inspired us as we explored the potential for our Festival in 2027, and beyond. On behalf of the entire Sundance Institute team, thank you,” said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute Board Chair.
Seeing Park City and Salt Lake City still in the mix is not a surprise, as the festival will want to honor its roots these last 40 years. But as the Utah Film Commissioner said in an interview with Deadline this week, describing the process as “trying to woo back a long-term lover,” a move to Salt Lake City is still a move.
If Sundance stays in Utah, it will be primarily centered in Salt Lake City with elements in Park City that aim to honor the legacy. Film Commissioner Virginia Pearce envisioned closing down Main Street in SLC and in Park City, offering shuttles that get attendees around both towns, as well as shuttles that will move between the canyon.
Utah has been ranked the best economy in the nation and has a racial/ethnic minority makeup of one in four people, with roughly half of that population living in SLC. The city is also hosting the Winter Olympics in 2034, so they’re confident that they’ll have the infrastructure in place for the long haul.
“Salt Lake City, Park City, and Salt Lake County are proud to unite in support of the Sundance Film Festival. Each step brings us closer, as a bid team in continuing our journey with Sundance. We are eager to forge an even stronger bond to inspire artists and elevate the festival experience. With our extensive event infrastructure, world-class venues, and warm hospitality, we’re ready to help Sundance shine on the global stage,” Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Park City Mayor Nann Worel, and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, all said in a joint statement.
For Boulder, the city had been vocal about its intentions to woo Sundance from the beginning, pledging a $1.5 million incentive if the city is chosen as far back as June.
Boulder ranks third in the nation for the highest concentration of professional artists per capita, according to the National Endowment for the Arts, and it has been named a top city for filmmakers by MovieMaker Magazine. But Sundance also liked the state’s more progressive qualities, including being the first state to issue a same-sex marriage license back in 1975, adopting a racial equity plan back in 2021, and through its dedication to environmental sustainability.
“Boulder is the next natural home to the Sundance Film Festival and we are excited to be one of three finalists to host starting in 2027. Here in Colorado we cherish our creative communities, the jobs they create, and the economic contributions they make to our entire state, and the Sundance Film Festival would perfectly complement the work and creative activity already happening here in Colorado,” Governor Jared Polis said in a statement.
Last but not least, Cincinnati has to many in Hollywood seemed like a surprise choice, and it should continue to come as a surprise to some that it now has a real chance of hosting one of the country’s most storied film festivals. It would have to share space with an NFL and MLB team, for one, and a location in the Midwest is certainly different from the small mountain town vibe.
But it does have a vibrant film community, even when compared to Boulder or some of the other contenders like Atlanta and Santa Fe. MovieMaker has ranked Cincinnati on its list of best U.S. cities to live and work for filmmakers for the last six years. Next year, Cincinnati will be the host of the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) for its 50th Anniversary & Cineposium. And Film Cincinnati serves as the umbrella organization for Film Cincinnati Live!, a collaborative for numerous film related non-profits programming. The state also awarded $53.6 million in tax credits to 25 different film productions between 2019 and 2022, generating a total economic impact of $258 million and 1,873 film industry jobs.
Cincinnati over the last few years has invested more than $750 million in capital projects for cultural institutions in Cincinnati, including the $50 million renovation of the Emery Theatre. And a recent report from ArtsWave and the Cincinnati Regional Chamber found that Cincinnati’s arts and culture sector had a total economic impact of $1.6 billion over the last four years.
“We are ecstatic to continue being considered as the next host city for the Sundance Film Festival. As long-time attendees, we believe Cincinnati’s dedication to the arts, hospitality, and historic theaters make it a great fit. We are inspired by the idea of partnering with the Sundance Institute to celebrate the festival’s rich legacy while introducing a dynamic, walkable and accessible new venue. Cincinnati’s blend of creativity, culture, and community promises to be an unforgettable experience for both filmmakers and audiences,” Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and Kristen Schlotman, President/CEO, Film Cincinnati, said in a joint statement.
