Sundance Film Festival

From Utah festival to Sundance

The festival began in Salt Lake City in 1978 as the Utah/US Film Festival, created to attract filmmakers to Utah. In 1981 the actor and director Robert Redford founded the Sundance Institute, named after his role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, to support independent storytellers. The institute took over the festival in the mid-1980s, and it was renamed the Sundance Film Festival in 1991.

Snow, Main Street and premieres

For decades the festival filled the ski town of Park City every January. Filmmakers, buyers and fans packed Main Street, and premieres took place in venues such as the historic Egyptian Theatre. Screenings sold out, deals were made in the small hours, and unknown actors could become stars overnight.

A launch pad for independents

Sundance helped build the modern independent film scene. Steven Soderbergh's sex, lies, and videotape (1989) and Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992) screened there, and later breakouts include Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Whiplash (2014) and CODA (2021), which went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture. Many actors earned their first lead roles in films that premiered in Park City.

More than a festival

The Sundance Institute runs labs for screenwriters, directors and composers throughout the year, offering mentorship to new voices from around the world. Its documentary program and its support for Indigenous filmmakers are especially well known.

A new home

In March 2025 the institute announced that the festival will move to Boulder, Colorado, starting in 2027, after its final edition in Utah in January 2026. Robert Redford, who built Sundance into a global name, died in September 2025 at the age of 89. Compare Sundance with other major festivals in our film festivals guide.

Visiting tips

Sundance offers passes and individual tickets for the public, plus waitlist lines for sold-out screenings. In Utah, the festival depended on free shuttle buses between venues, and most visitors dressed for snow. The move to Boulder, a university city at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, is expected to bring new venues and a different atmosphere, so check the official site for current details.

Did you know? Many films at Sundance are made on small budgets, and actors often work for much less than usual because they believe in the story.

← Berlin International Film FestivalToronto International Film Festival →