20th Century Fox
Audio By Carbonatix
For the first time in decades, the film industry in Colorado sees hope on the horizon. This is the state that once hosted iconic productions like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, True Grit (1969) and Stagecoach. In recent decades, however, that legacy has dwindled to just one major production every five years. This stagnation — and the resulting “brain drain” of our best talent to California, New York and New Mexico — made it nearly impossible to build a thriving local ecosystem.
The tide is beginning to turn. In 2027, we will welcome the Sundance International Film Festival to Colorado. While some have questioned the $70 million incentive package used to secure the festival, that figure doesn’t tell the full story. Of that $70 million, only $34 million is in state tax credits; the remainder is backed by private interests, the City of Boulder, Visit Boulder,and the University of Colorado Boulder. This funding is spread over ten years, and Sundance has committed to calling Boulder home — meaning that each year, the state is only providing an average of $3.4 million in total. These tax credits are not being thrown at an unproven event. In 2025 alone, Sundance generated a $196.1 million economic impact for Utah with over 85,000 attendees. For Colorado, we anticipate the festival will generate over $2 billion in economic impact over the next decade.
The impact of Sundance isn’t confined to a two-week event in Boulder. We are already seeing “cascading effects” through year-round cultural activities, such as recent screenings of the award-winning American Pachuco in Denver and Longmont. However, this momentum depends entirely on our film office. The Colorado Office of Film, Television, and Media (COFTM) and Film Commissioner Lauren Sloan have worked tirelessly to ensure Sundance’s success benefits the entire state. Through partnerships with the Colorado Film and Video Association, Denver Film and others, it has hosted town halls in seven regions, engaging hundreds of local creators and building the community required to attract major productions back to our rural areas.
The COFTM is the bridge between curiosity and production, spending money in Colorado. Its work ensures that filmmakers visiting Sundance come back to produce their next projects here. Currently, arts and culture generate $19.7 billion for Colorado and support over 121,000 jobs. COFTM grants specifically support cultural non-profits in communities like Carbondale, Delta, Paonia and Steamboat Springs, while its workforce development initiatives have enabled hundreds of local hires across the state. Growth in this industry improves education, well-being and public engagement. Sundance is already attracting programs to help our educators deepen students’ media literacy, while Colorado-based documentaries continue to bring vital attention to issues like climate change and civil rights.
We recognize the immense pressure on the colorado Legislature. Due to the passage of HR 1, the “Big Beautiful Bill,” the state faces a $1.5 billion budget gap. While short-term cuts are tempting, defunding the COFTM would be a self-defeating measure. If the office loses its funding, we will eliminate the very infrastructure — workforce development, rural initiatives and local festival support — needed to capitalize on the Sundance investment. Cutting these programs now would be a short-sighted remedy for a long-term budgetary challenge.
As a community of filmmakers, casting directors, artists, and craftsmen, we urge you: Do not abandon us at the very moment we are poised to become an industry hub. Art gives our lives meaning, but it also powers our economy. Our industry stands ready to partner with the Legislature to support vulnerable Coloradans and contribute to our state’s recovery. We didn’t stay in Colorado because it was easy; we stayed because we love this state. We look forward to boosting Colorado’s financial and cultural future.
