At a press conference Wednesday to mark the start of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, event director Eugene Hernandez said the nonprofit is still evaluating a potential move to Boulder, Colorado or Cincinnati, Ohio.
“The answer is no, not yet,” Hernandez said. “Our work continues, and we still have two more years anchored here in Park City. Later this winter or early in the spring, once we complete our work on this [request for proposals], we’ll announce the new home of the Sundance Film Festival.”
Sundance announced in April 2024 it was considering a move, citing financial pressures and a lack of accessibility in Park City, which has been the event’s home for over 40 years.
Hernandez said the Sundance Institute is focused on the experience in Park City and Salt Lake City for this year’s festival, which garnered over 16,000 film submissions.
But the excitement of opening another year of the festival was a bit muted as Sundance leaders expressed their sadness and concern over the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.
Sundance acting CEO Amanda Kelso said Wednesday their thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted.
“It’s been a really devastating reminder of how fragile everything can be,” Kelso said. “I love Los Angeles, and my heart weighs really heavy with all the folks who have been impacted, including people who are part of our community here, but also it impacts everybody who lives in Southern California, so it’s been a really immeasurable loss.”
Kelso said she hopes the festival can provide people a chance to move forward and heal.
Sundance Director of Programming Kim Yutani also spoke Wednesday, highlighting a few filmmakers who she thinks will make waves at the 2025 festival.
“I want you to keep a special eye out for James Sweeney in ‘Twinless,’ Katarina Zhu - she made the film ‘Bunnylovr’ - Eva Victor in ‘Sorry Baby,’ Pasqual Gutierrez in ‘Serious People,’ Grace Glowicki in ‘Dead Lover’ and Cherien Dabis in ‘All That’s Left of You.’ These people are clearly show-offs,” Yutani said.
The Sundance Film Festival kicks off with screenings in Park City Thursday and runs through Sunday, Feb. 2.
Park City’s community guide for Sundance has comprehensive details on parking and street restrictions: