DENVER (KDVR) — Film fans across Colorado, you may want to find something to hold yourself up with — Boulder has officially been unveiled as the city to host the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027, according to a press release from the Sundance Institute.
Boulder was a candidate pitted against two other finalists, Cincinnati and current Sundance hosts Park City/Salt Lake City.
If you follow film festivals closely, you will know this is a huge deal for the festival, which hasn’t operated in any other state besides Utah since its inception in 1978 in Salt Lake City when it was known as the Utah/US Film Festival.
Since 1978, the festival, now known as the Sundance Film Festival, has evolved into a staple and iconic stop on the film festival circuit. Every year, tens of thousands of cinephiles flock to Utah to see the next generation of Hollywood legends premiere their low-budget films next door to Hollywood icons premiering their own blockbusters.
In the fight for the festival, the three finalist destinations pleaded their case, with Cincinnati proposing an allocation of $5 million, Park City/Salt Lake City proposing one with $3.5 million and Colorado lawmakers approving a $34 million budget, according to a release from the Colorado Senate Committee.
Colorado’s bill would also use $500,000 a year to support local film festivals to invigorate and support the Colorado film scene.
With Boulder selected as the winning bid, Colorado must prepare to host a major global event that regularly sells over 100,000 tickets and welcomed nearly 90,000 out-of-state visitors last year.
“I’m beyond excited to welcome the Sundance Fest to Colorado starting in 2027. 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. 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,” said Gov. Jared Polis in a post on X.
According to an economic report surveying the most recent Sundance Film Festival, the festival created 1,730 jobs for residents, generated $69.7 million in wages, $132 million in gross domestic product and generated almost $14 million in state and local tax revenue.
While the economic impacts of the festival are a huge addition to the state, the culture and prestige of the film festival are sure to transfer over to Boulder when the attendees visit.
While changing states, the festival is not losing its Rocky Mountain vibe. Park City is a massive ski area flush with snow, located high in the mountains. Colorado, known for those same qualities, can help match the former feel of the legendary festival.
The arrival of the festival may also indicate a huge shift in the world of independent filmmaking in Colorado. The Sundance Film Festival may be viewed by many as the heart and soul of indie films. The festival, started by Hollywood icon and the Sundance Kid, Robert Redford, is responsible for starting the careers of some of the biggest directors, including:
- Quentin Tarantino
- Steven Soderberg
- Richard Linklater
- Darren Aronofsky
- Wes Anderson
- The Coen brothers
- Paul Thomas Anderson
- Todd Field
- The Daniels
- Chloé Zhao
- Damian Chazelle
- Spike Jonze
If you were to list the careers started by the festival, this article might be 20 pages long by the end.
Sundance has also seen the premiere of Hollywood classics, including:
- “Reservoir Dogs”
- “Get Out”
- “The Blair Witch Project”
- “Little Miss Sunshine”
- “Saw”
- “Four Weddings and a Funeral”
- “Manchester by the Sea”
- “Napolean Dynamite”
- “(500) Days of Summer”
- “Whiplash”
The statement above holds true for the films that premiered at Sundance, which include hundreds of successful Hollywood darlings. More information on the list of films that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival can be found on their website.
The Sundance Film Festival will be hosted by Boulder for 10 years, starting in 2027 and lasting until the 2036 edition of the fest.
