Sundance Film Festival's Move to Boulder Is a Colorado Coup

It's official: The Sundance Film Festival, an internationally renowned independent-movie event created by actor Robert Redford in 1978 and named for his character in the 1969 movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, is moving from its longtime home in Park City, Utah, to Boulder in January 2027.

Plenty of signs have pointed in Boulder's direction since the folks at the Sundance Institute announced that they might seek a new home when the fest's current contract expires next year. But confirmation of the move is being greeted with delight by state and local officials.

Leading the pom-pom squad is Governor Jared Polis, whose response couldn't have been more effusive if he'd penned it after sucking down several lungfuls of nitrous oxide. "I’m beyond excited to welcome the Sundance Film Festival to Colorado starting in 2027," he says in an announcement of the news. "Powerful films tell our stories; who we were, who we are, and who we aspire to be. Here in Colorado we also celebrate the arts and film industry as a key economic driver, job creator, and important contributor to our thriving culture. Now, with the addition of the iconic Sundance Film Festival, we can expect even more jobs, a huge benefit for our small businesses including stores and restaurants, and to help the festival achieve even greater success."

Polis went on to thank Visit Boulder, the city's tourism bureau, which was certainly ready to rock once the news went public. I happened to be strolling the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder when my phone blew up with texts that the decision about the fest had been made, and moments later, I saw the following graphic on Ku Cha House of Tea's front window:

When I asked a Ku Cha employee about the placard, she told me that a Visit Boulder staffer had arrived moments earlier and was pasting the signs on businesses up and down the street in advance of a 2 p.m. press conference to celebrate the city's achievement.

The reaction of Charlene Hoffman, Visit Boulder's CEO, echoes Polis's, right down to the use of "beyond" in the first sentence: "We’re beyond excited that Boulder has been chosen as the future home for the Sundance Film Festival," Hoffman says. "With its thriving creative spirit, stunning mountain backdrop, and welcoming community, Boulder offers a truly one-of-a-kind experience for filmmakers and attendees alike. This moment is a testament to what happens when a community comes together to champion art, culture, and connection. Congratulations, Boulder and all of Colorado — this is our moment to shine!"

The City of Boulder's Sundance-related news release boasts similar ballyhoo from Eve Lieberman, executive director of Colorado's Office of Economic Development and International Trade, Colorado Film Commissioner Donald Zuckerman, Colorado House Majority Leader Monica Duran and Colorado Representative Brianna Titone, whose quote is filled with monetary reasons why Sundance coming to Colorado makes sense — and a lot of cents.

"The 2024 festival generated $132 million in gross domestic product, created 1,730 jobs paying $69.7 million in wages, and attracted 24,000 out-of-state visitors who spent an average of $735 a day," Titone says. "We expect to see a similar impact for Coloradans and look forward to welcoming the Festival in 2027."

Whispers about Sundance potentially pulling up stakes first began to circulate in the film community back in 2023; speculation about the reasons why centered on suggestions that the fest had grown too large for Park City to handle, as well as bitching from residents about traffic increases and other disruptions that seemed to grow louder with each passing year. By July 2024, Sundance had settled on six possible landing spots: Louisiville, Kentucky; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Atlanta, Georgia; Cincinnati, Ohio; Boulder and Park City. A few months later, Boulder, Park City and Cincinnati formally became finalists.

Given the fest's decidedly Western flavor, the idea of Sundance heading to Cincinnati seemed odd from the start, and the city's somewhat stodgy reputation didn't help matters; yesterday, Variety published a piece maintaining that Sundance attendees didn't think Jennifer Lopez would "play a secret party in Ohio." Likewise, the Park City bid, launched in conjunction with Salt Lake City, was larded with logistical challenges.

As for Boulder, the fit seemed right in part because of Redford's personal history. The future matinee idol attended the University of Colorado Boulder for a stretch, as did two of his children, and as a student, he worked at The Sink, a legendary watering hole. Moreover, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was partially filmed in Colorado.

Just as important, Boulder has the sort of cool image that would appeal to the J-Los of the world. Sorry, Cincinnati.

Combine these factors with Colorado's willingness to offer up to $34 million in refundable tax credits over ten years, and it's clear why Boulder came out on top.

In the year-plus before Sundance's Colorado bow, there will be no shortage of questions about what its arrival will mean for two of the state's most significant movie happenings, the Boulder International Film Festival and the Denver Film Festival. But publicly, at least, both are in a welcoming mood.

BIFF posted the following on its Facebook page: "We here at the Boulder International Film Festival are excited to hear that the Sundance Film Festival has selected Boulder as their next location! We look forward to collaborating with the Sundance team and helping bring the festival to Boulder."

Meanwhile, Denver Film CEO Kevin Smith offers this take to Westword: "We’re excited to welcome Sundance to Colorado and expand the film industry spotlight on what our state has to offer to both the industry and film lovers. The addition of a premiere focused festival like Sundance adds another vital piece to our state’s film industry that, at the end of the day, is going to elevate the work we do and help strengthen Colorado’s position on the global film stage. From Sundance as a place for independent film premieres in January through Telluride setting the stage for awards season, and capped by our Festival’s ability to bring the best in global film offerings to Denver audiences at the end of the year and lead into awards season, it’s a very sound ecosystem."

Smith adds: "We’re excited to partner with our friends at Sundance and, with the support of our public and private sector partners across the state, this will deliver additional, focused resources to our arts and cultural communities. Colorado’s film screen just got a little bigger and brighter and we look forward to what our collective future holds."

In other words, the cameras are ready to roll and the action is ready to begin.