Atlanta named finalist for Sundance Film Festival
The Egyptian Theatre and its marquee are seen along Main Street during the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2023, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - Atlanta could be the future home of the Sundance Film Festival.
The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced that Atlanta has been selected as one of the six finalists to be the host location for the festival beginning in 2027.
The other finalists selected after a proposal process and evaluation were Boulder, Colorado, Cincinnati, Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the festival's original home of Park City/Salt Lake City, Utah.
Two other Georgia cities - Athens and Savannah - made the festival's shortlist but did not move on to the final selection.
"For over 40 years, Sundance has supported, sustained, and helped shine an essential spotlight on independent filmmakers and their work. As we very carefully consider this important decision for our Festival, we believe these six finalists allow us the best opportunity to not only secure a sustainable future for our Festival, but also to build upon its legacy while continuing to support the next generation of storytellers and highlight bold new works of art," said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute Board Chair, and Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute Acting CEO. "We are grateful to all the communities who have expressed interest and been a part of the process, and we have valued the opportunity to learn about the uniqueness of each location. We look forward to the site visits in each of the finalist cities."
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As part of the final round of evaluations, members of the Sundance Institution selection committee will visit each of the finalist cities in the coming weeks. It is not known when the visit to Atlanta will take place.
"Atlanta is a diverse and inclusive city of creatives, thinkers, artists and storytellers who are aligned with the core values of the Sundance Film Festival and who want to see Atlanta add to the legacy of Sundance," Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement responding to the news. "As we move through this process, we will continue to shine a light on the art, culture and unique attributes of Atlanta in hopes of winning the opportunity to engage and inspire the next generation of Sundance filmmakers and attendees."
How good are Atlanta's chances of winning the Sundance Film Festival?
Dominic Patten, executive editor for Deadline, told FOX 5 in May that Atlanta was the top challenger in taking the festival away from Utah.
"The real battle here is going to come down to Utah and Atlanta," Dominic Patten said, "Atlanta – with all of the money it can present, with all of the venues it can present, with all of the opportunities it can present – already has an advantage over many cities. It's one that Hollywood is familiar with."
However, Patton's sources in Utah say the city and state will fight tooth and nail to keep it.
"They're really renewing this," he said. "And of course, you know part of why that’s happening is because they see bids, like Atlanta, especially, as being a big threat to them keeping the festival after four decades."
He expects the winner to be announced at the end of the 2025 festival.
Where is the Sundance Film Festival held?
Sundance is the largest independent film festival in the country, known for being an inclusive space to showcase raw, original works and break-out stars and creative geniuses. It takes place every January in Park City, Utah and has been the pinnacle for independent filmmakers since its inception in 1985.
According to the Sundance Institute, at least 86,824 people attended the Sundance Film Festival between Jan. 19 and Jan. 29, 2023, resulting in 138,050 redeemed tickets. Approximately 21,400 of the attendees were visitors from out of state.
These out-of-state visitors spent an estimated $97 million in Utah during the festival.
The next Sundance Film Festival will take place in Park City, per usual, from January 23 to February 2, 2025. The festival will also be in Utah in 2026.