The Sundance Film Festival announced March 27 that after over 40 years in Utah, it will be leaving Park City and relocating to Boulder, Colorado. Some southern Utah filmmakers are worried about the move but still find hope in future film festivals.
Sundance has been held in Utah for decades, and since its inception in 1985, it has grown into the largest independent film festival held in the United States.
Not only does Sundance host films, but the tourists and filmmakers that attend the festival bring in millions for Park City each year. Last year, Park City made around $130 million in revenue from the film festival.
Local filmmakers and crew members who are normally hired to work and attend the festival will also experience job loss.
The loss of an arts festival like Sundance is a disappointment to many student independent filmmakers. Ben Vasion, a senior digital film major from Cathlamet, Washington, said the loss will be difficult, but ultimately, independent films will still happen in Utah.
“It’s up to us now, the independent filmmakers, to show the rest of the movie world Utah is still a space for independent film,” Vasion said. “Sundance left but the filmmaking spirit is still here in Utah.”
Utah still hosts other film festivals independent filmmakers can enter films into. St. George has a festival called Desertscape International Film Festival.
Desertscape will be held April 16 to 19 at the Electric Theater, where independent films will be shown.
Southern Utah has also recently gained a film studio. Kevin Costner, the actor and filmmaker behind “Horizon,” has plans to build a studio near the St. George airport.
Tisa Zito, a digital film producer and program director at DOCUTAH, said although Utah will be losing Sundance, we will still have the Costner studio and motivated independent filmmakers.
“When you go to the festival [Desertscape], there’s a lot of momentum and excitement and it’s the same thing at DOCUTAH, especially these last couple of years,” Zito said. “It’s been great.”
These local film festivals are an opportunity for students and independent filmmakers to submit their work to be judged by a panel, and if accepted, shown to audiences.
Festivals also give the chance for distribution companies to pick up these films, especially if there is a lot of audience and critical buzz surrounding them.
UT students’ films have been accepted and shown several times at DOCUTAH and Desertscape. It’s important for local audiences to show support to these smaller film festivals so they can reach the funding needed to function.
Audrey Altfillisch, a junior film and marketing major from Aliso Viejo, California, said the move will be a small loss for Utah, but exciting for filmmakers in Colorado.
“I know a lot of filmmakers in Colorado who are really excited about it. I think it’s great we’re sharing it,” Altfillisch said.
Sundance will be officially moving to Boulder in 2027, so Park City will have the chance to host one last time in 2026 before it has to say goodbye to the festival.
