PARK CITY, Utah — As the 2025 Sundance Film Festival unfolds, leaders, residents, and loyal attendees in Utah are making a final effort, which could entail significant financial commitments, to persuade festival organizers to keep the event in its long-standing location. The festival has called Park City home for 41 years, and many attendees are displaying bright yellow stickers on their winter clothing that say “Keep Sundance in Utah” to demonstrate their support.
Previously, Governor Spencer Cox mentioned that Utah would not match the financial offers made by other states hoping to attract the festival. However, his office is now advocating for the Legislature to allocate $3 million from the state budget to support Sundance, just weeks before a decision is expected regarding the festival’s future home for the next decade.
There is a possibility for Sundance to maintain a limited presence in the charming Park City while also basing itself in Salt Lake City. Alternatively, the festival could relocate to one of the other contenders, including Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado, starting in 2027. “Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can’t really separate those two,” Cox stated, expressing hope that the festival would remain rooted in its original location.
Festival Director Eugene Hernandez addressed the media last week, stating that an official decision has yet to be made, with an announcement anticipated by early spring of this year. Colorado is attempting to enhance its proposal by considering a bill that would provide tax incentives of up to $34 million for festivals like Sundance through 2036, in addition to the already allocated $1.5 million for attracting Sundance to the state.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati has passed a resolution that offers $2.5 million to Sundance should the festival choose to relocate to southwestern Ohio. However, financial incentives might not be the main factor in the decision-making process. Sundance representatives express that the festival has outgrown its ski town origins and fears it has become too exclusive, which detracts from the essence of independent filmmaking. They aim for a location that is more centralized, affordable, and accessible to all cinephiles.
Some attendees and industry professionals worry that moving Sundance away from its picturesque mountain setting could dilute its identity. Major benefactors Roger and Carin Ehrenberg have stated they would be less inclined to attend if the festival moved outside of Utah. They described Sundance as a “magical experience,” significantly attributable to the ambiance of Park City. “If it goes to Cincinnati, maybe once in a blue moon we would go, but it wouldn’t be a regular thing,” Carin stated. “For us, it’ll lose its appeal.”
The Ehrenbergs mentioned that they would likely continue their financial support even in the absence of regular attendance. Dr. Rhonda Taubin, who has many cherished memories at Sundance over the past 19 years, recently relocated her family from Atlanta to Heber City, the neighboring area to Park City. Although not linked to the film industry professionally, she has become an ardent supporter of keeping Sundance in Utah.
This year, Taubin and her friends distributed a multitude of “Keep Sundance in Utah” stickers and “NOhio for Sundance” stickers to convey how significant the festival is to the local populace. “I really am not a movie buff, but my friends are, and being able to share our experiences as women and families, I don’t want that to end,” Taubin remarked. “We engage with thought-provoking films, and that’s invaluable for us here in Utah.”
Should Sundance remain in Utah, former Director John Cooper emphasized the necessity for improvements in transportation between Salt Lake City and Park City, as well as making accommodations more economical for filmmakers. Cooper, who held the position from 2009 to 2020, would feel a sense of loss if the festival were to depart from actor and filmmaker Robert Redford’s original vision. The festival takes its name from Redford’s character in the classic 1969 film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”
“I felt like my role was to preserve Robert Redford’s legacy,” Cooper explained. “The majestic mountains of Utah—it represents his vision. The idea of ‘Sundance in Ohio’ seems odd to me, yet it could thrive anywhere. The impact it has on a community is profound.”
As the red carpet events unfold this week, opinions are divided regarding the festival’s potential relocation. Actor Elijah Wood is among those urging Sundance to stay in Park City, arguing that its location is integral to its identity. Conversely, some have indicated a willingness to consider a move; actor Tessa Thompson, who serves on the Sundance Institute’s board, believes that the festival could keep its unique character even in a different city.
“I think that Sundance is rooted in its spirit and community, which is timeless,” Thompson remarked. “No matter where Sundance ends up, its essence will remain.”
