Earlier this week, the Sundance Film Festival announced it is exploring its options to move to a new venue in 2027, after the prestigious festival was hosted in Park City, Utah for the last 43 of its 46 years. And SF will be throwing its hat in the ring.
“We are at a unique moment for our festival and our global film community, and with the contract up for renewal, this exploration allows us to think responsibly about how we can best continue to serve our community sustainably while preserving the essence of the festival experience,” festival director and head of public programs Eugene Hernandez said in a statement.
Hernandez doesn't say it, but it seems the festival's relationship with the small ski town of Park City has been strained in recent years, especially as the festival has grown in size and prestige. As the Chronicle notes, locals there complain about the noise of helicopters every January when Hollywood's elite helicopters arrive from Salt Lake City. And due to space constraints, the festival has in recent years held more programs in Salt Lake City itself.
Along with the festivals in Toronto, Berlin, Venice and Cannes, Sundance remains one of the “Big Five” of the annual film festival circuit.
And as the Chronicle's G. Allen Johnson writes, “Sundance belongs out West.” As for territory, if it were held in New York, it would get in the way of the Toronto and Tribeca film festivals. Austin already has South by Southwest. And San Francisco has already partnered with Sundance to host drive-ins at Fort Mason during the pandemic, along with the Roxie in the Mission. (The SF Film Festival may be less pleased about being overshadowed, though.)
Manijeh Fata, executive director of the San Francisco Film Commission, confirmed to the Chronicle that the city is applying to the Sundance Film Festival to host the film in future years. Letters of interest must be submitted by May 1, and the application process runs from May 7 to June 1.
We know that Minneapolis also wants to make a bid (brrr!), and we'll have to wait and see what happens with the other competitors.
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