14-07-2025
Sundance Film Festival unveils plans for 2026 sendoff
Utah's final Sundance Film Festival is scheduled to kick off Jan. 22, 2026, organizers announced Monday, ending a four-decade run.
Why it matters: The Utah-born independent film festival — set to relocate to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027 — will show appreciation for the Utah community, honor cofounder Robert Redford and feature archival screenings and special events.
What to expect: Next year's event will showcase more than 90 feature films and over 50 shorts. The lineup will be released later this year.
Park City's Main Street will again become pedestrian-only.
At-home screenings will be available Jan. 29-Feb. 1, 2026.
What they're saying: "This year will mean so much for so many reasons," Eugene Hernandez, director of the festival and public programming, said in a letter. "Our focus is making the 2026 festival ... one to remember, a celebration full of gratitude and joy."
Between the lines: Venues in Park City include: the Eccles Theatre, Holiday Village Cinemas, Library Center Theatre, the Ray Theatre, Redstone Cinemas and the Yarrow Theatre.
Salt Lake City venues are Broadway Centre Cinemas and Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center.
The intrigue: Park City's iconic Egyptian Theatre, an emblematic venue for the festival, will not host screening this year.
Catch up quick: Sundance announced it was moving to Colorado in March after launching a competitive bidding process last year for a new host city.
News of the resettlement disappointed local and state leaders, including and Gov. Spencer Cox and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, who accused the festival of "using politics" as a "convenient excuse" for its move in a Los Angeles Times op-ed.
Festival leaders have maintained that the state's conservative politics did not drive them away.
By the numbers: Out-of-state visitors spent $106.4 million during this year's festival, drawing over 72,000 in-person attendees, per an economic impact report.
The event's total economic impact was estimated to be $132 million and produced about 1,730 jobs for Utahns.
Flashback: As the festival departs for neighboring Colorado, here's a list of influential movies that premiered at Sundance over the years:
