The chic choice.
Photo: J. Merritt/Getty Images
At least the filmgoers will still be at least 5,000 feet above sea level. The Sundance Film Festival is officially leaving Park City, Utah, where it has been headquartered since its start in 1978, and heading to Boulder, Colorado, beginning in 2027. “The Sundance Film Festival is a catalyst for innovation, creative expression, and the discovery of groundbreaking independent films that inspire and shape the future of storytelling,” Amanda Kelso, the Sundance Institute’s acting CEO, said in a statement. “Boulder is an art town, tech town, mountain town, and college town. It is a place where the Festival can build and flourish.”
The festival was founded in 1978 as the Utah/US Film Festival. In recent years, however, Park City has been considered by some too small to house the festival, as it more than doubles the city’s population. When the Institute first revealed it was leaving Park City, it stated intentions to ensure that “inclusivity and sustainability are always at the forefront of the festival experience,” seemingly a reference to Utah’s conservative politics. The final three cities considered were Boulder, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake City. This on top of rumors that Lisa Barlow is leaving The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City — Utah may soon sink into complete obscurity.
