Boulder named a finalist to host Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027

Boulder has been named one of six finalists to host the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027, the Sundance Institute announced Friday. The selection follows the submission of a proposal by Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Boulder) with support from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), the Colorado Office of Film Television and Media (COFTM), and a regional coalition of partners, including the City of Boulder, the Boulder Chamber, the University of Colorado Boulder and the Stanley Film Center.

The festival has been a launching pad for numerous Oscar contenders and the careers of directors Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan and others. A final decision on the future Sundance host city is expected in early 2025.

After 40 years in Park City, Utah, the festival is eyeing locations across the country for festivals starting in 2027 when its existing contract will be up for renewal.

In addition to the possibility of the festival remaining in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, the cities under consideration along with Boulder are Atlanta; Cincinnati; Louisville, Kentucky; and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The festival will take place in Park City and Salt Lake City in 2025 and 2026.

The potential host cities were selected for their ability to support the film festival’s growth, and they will continue to be evaluated on each city’s infrastructure, accessibility, event venues and logistical capabilities, as well as their alignment with Sundance’s values.

“As we very carefully consider this important decision for our festival, we believe these six finalists allow us the best opportunity to not only secure a sustainable future for our festival, but also to build upon its legacy while continuing to support the next generation of storytellers and highlight bold new works of art,” said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute board chair, and Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute acting CEO, in a joint statement.

“We are grateful to all the communities who have expressed interest and been a part of the process, and we have valued the opportunity to learn about the uniqueness of each location,” the statement continued. “We look forward to the site visits in each of the finalist cities.”

The Sundance Institute noted that each of the finalist cities have strong arts communities with varied cultural backgrounds and potential for growth. The Robert Redford-founded festival has grown significantly since its inception.

Redford, who stepped back from the Sundance spotlight years ago, expressed concern in 2016 that the festival as it existed might have outgrown Park City and was thinking about ways to evolve. He and his daughter, Amy Redford, who is on the board, have been involved in the process according to an April announcement about the location search.

Members of the Sundance Institute selection committee will visit each of the finalist cities in the coming weeks, and a final decision is expected in early 2025.

To support Boulder’s development of a competitive proposal, the Colorado Economic Development Commission approved a one-time $1.5 million incentive. The non-state match for this funding substantially exceeds one-to-one, with cash and in-kind contributions from the City of Boulder and the coalition of regional partners. OEDIT is also contributing an additional $325,000 to the proposal, including $250,000 from the Colorado Office of Film Television and Media over five years and one-time contributions from the Colorado Tourism Office ($50,000) and Colorado Creative Industries ($25,000).

“Hosting the Sundance Film Festival in Colorado would be transformational for film, television and media in our state,” said Colorado Film Commissioner Donald Zuckerman. “Filmmakers from the Sundance Institute’s prestigious Directors Lab, held at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park this May, are already expressing interest in filming here. We can think of no better partner than the Sundance Institute to help elevate this type of storytelling in Colorado and hope to welcome the festival in 2027.”

The Institute said in its press release it will continue “to focus on completing a fair and comprehensive review of the six possible partners and will not be providing comments while the review process is taking place. Sundance Institute will provide more information once the location for the 2027 Festival has been selected.”

Redford founded the Sundance Institute in 1981 to foster independence, risk-taking, and new voices in American film. It’s worth noting that he attended the University of Colorado Boulder in the mid-1950s for a year and half.