It’s Official: Sundance Film Festival is Moving to Boulder, CO in 2027
by Alex Billington
March 28, 2025
They’ve finally made an official announcement: the world famous Sundance Film Festival is moving to Boulder, Colorado starting in 2027. I have been attending the Sundance Film Festival longer than any other festival – next year it will be the 20th year in a row that FirstShowing has covered Sundance. It was the first festival I attended as a member of the press, and I’ve been going non-stop ever since 2007. I feel a deep connection to Sundance, not only because of the mountains & snow, but I sort of grew up going to this festival every year since I was 20 years old. I originally grew up in Colorado Springs, CO before moving away to Los Angeles and New York and Berlin – but I still fly back to Utah year after year. For the last 44 years, Sundance has been based in Park City, Utah, a ski resort town outside of Salt Lake City. The fest started out as the US Film Festival in SLC in 1978, moved to Park City in 1981, only becoming known as “Sundance” in 1984. The rest is history, as they say – Kevin Smith, Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, Kelly Reichardt all launched their careers to Sundance. Now it’s time for a whole new era as they move to Colorado in 2027.
The news was announced by Sundance just a day after the Colorado government advanced a new bill to offer extra funding to Sundance. Here’s the official statement provided by Sundance founder Robert Redford:
“I founded the Sundance Institute with a commitment to discovering and developing independent artists, with the Sundance Film Festival serving as the platform for stories to help expand audiences and broaden the landscape,” said Robert Redford, Sundance Institute President & Founder. “That mission remains even more critical today and will continue to be our core principle. Words cannot express the sincere gratitude I have for Park City, the state of Utah, and all those in the Utah community that have helped to build the organization. What we’ve created is remarkably special and defining. As change is inevitable, we must always evolve and grow, which has been at the core of our survival. This move will ensure that the Festival continues its work of risk taking, supporting innovative storytellers, fostering independence, and entertaining and enlightening audiences. I am grateful to the Boulder community for its support, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the Festival there.”
The festival states: “After a long search we’re thrilled to move to our future home beginning January 2027. Boulder offers small-town charm with an engaged community, distinctive natural beauty, and a vibrant arts scene, making it the ideal location for the Festival to grow.” There’s only so much I can say this early… I’ve been to Boulder a few times when I was younger, but not recently. I am hoping this is a smart move that will allow Sundance to improve yet stay true to its heart & soul. It is still a shock that they went through with this. Sundance and Park City, UT have been deeply intertwined for the last ~40 years. Everything about the festival is connected with Park City – from its iconic Main Street to all the movie theater venues (some good, some bad) to the snowstorms to the mountain backdrop to the Utah liquor laws and everything else. Will they be able to hold onto that spark and the magic of Sundance moving after all this time? I hope so. I adore Sundance, especially the films they show, the filmmakers they nurture, and their dedication to the art of cinema above all else. Redford sold his home and his stake in the Sundance Ski Resort years ago and no longer has much of a connection with Utah. If he’s ready to move on from Utah… I guess his festival is, too.
For more information from Sundance on this news, head to their official website. The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will still take place in Utah next January. Then they’ll pack up and move to Colorado to restart again in January 2027. Boulder is situated about 45 minutes outside of Denver (view Google Maps), nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains; it’s also where the popular University of Colorado Boulder (aka CU Boulder) is located making it a big university town. Wherever they are located, wherever they show films, I’ll continue to cover Sundance and return year after year to enjoy the latest in indie cinema & discover new filmmakers.
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