PARK CITY, Utah — As the Sundance Film Festival prepares for its 2025 edition, local leaders, residents, and longtime supporters are rallying to retain the festival in Park City, its home for over four decades. This movement may involve significant financial commitments, as festival directors are contemplating relocation.
Attendees have taken to showing their support by wearing bright yellow stickers reading “Keep Sundance in Utah” on their winter jackets, emphasizing their desire for the festival to remain in its historic venue. Governor Spencer Cox previously indicated that Utah would not match the financial incentives being offered by competing states but is now pressing the legislature to allocate $3 million for the festival in the upcoming state budget, just before Sundance is expected to announce a new location for the next ten years.
There’s speculation regarding the festival’s future, which may include maintaining a smaller presence in Park City while shifting its main operations to Salt Lake City, or possibly relocating to other contenders like Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado, starting in 2027. “Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can’t really separate those two,” Governor Cox remarked, expressing his hope that the festival remains entrenched in its current locale.
Last year, the festival contributed approximately $132 million to Utah’s economy, as reported in Sundance’s 2024 economic impact report. Festival Director Eugene Hernandez recently stated that no final decision has been made yet, with a public announcement expected by early spring.
Colorado is ramping up its incentives, contemplating legislation that could provide up to $34 million in tax breaks for film festivals until 2036, on top of an already approved $1.5 million to attract Sundance. Meanwhile, Cincinnati has put forth a resolution offering $2.5 million if the festival chooses to move to the southwest Ohio region. Still, financial incentives may not be the primary factor in Sundance’s decision.
Sundance officials have indicated that the festival has outgrown Park City and are concerned about the growing exclusivity that detracts from the film experience. They aim to find a location that can foster a more centralized, cost-effective, and accessible environment for all enthusiasts of independent cinema.
However, some festivalgoers and industry professionals express concern that relocating could dilute Sundance’s unique character. Major patrons Roger and Carin Ehrenberg have stated they may discontinue their regular attendance if the festival leaves Utah, labeling Sundance a “magical experience,” largely due to its Park City setting. “If it goes to Cincinnati, maybe once in a blue moon we would go, but it wouldn’t be a regular thing,” Carin Ehrenberg commented. “For us, it’ll lose its appeal.” Nevertheless, they noted they might continue to provide support financially even if they are unable to attend.
Dr. Rhonda Taubin, who has fond memories spanning 19 years with Sundance, moved her family from Atlanta to nearby Heber City and has become a strong advocate for the festival’s continuity in Utah. Despite lacking ties to the film industry, she and her friends have distributed thousands of “Keep Sundance in Utah” stickers to underline the festival’s significance to the community.
“I really am not a movie buff, but my other girlfriends are, and being able to share all that we’ve been through as women, as mothers, as wives, as daughters, I don’t want it to end,” Taubin stated. “We watch provocative movies that inspire discussions about issues we might not have considered before. Utah would be at a huge loss without those conversations.”
In the event that Sundance remains in Utah, former festival director John Cooper emphasized the necessity for significant enhancements in transport between Salt Lake City and Park City, along with making accommodations for filmmakers more affordable. He expressed a sense of loss regarding the potential departure from the original vision of actor and filmmaker Robert Redford, whose character in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” inspired the festival’s name.
“I felt like my role was to be a keeper of the flame for Robert Redford and his legacy,” Cooper articulated. “Utah’s mountains encapsulated his vision. It feels strange to even contemplate ‘Sundance in Ohio,’ but I believe it could thrive anywhere due to its profound impact on communities.”
At a recent red carpet event, opinions were divided on whether the festival should stay in Park City or move elsewhere. Actor Elijah Wood passionately advocated for the festival’s retention in its current location, asserting that its setting is an integral part of its essence. Conversely, some celebrities, like Tessa Thompson, who serves on the Sundance Institute’s board, are open to the idea of relocation while believing the festival can maintain its core identity no matter where it is held. “I think that Sundance has more to do with the spirit and community, and I think that’s evergreen,” Thompson remarked. “Regardless of where Sundance is, it will always be.”
