The Sundance Movie Pageant is readying for its new dwelling — Boulder, Colorado — beginning in 2027. However the upcoming 2026 version would be the pageant’s final (for now!) in Park Metropolis, Utah, the place Sundance has lived since its early days because the US Movie and Video Pageant in 1981.
As beforehand introduced, Sundance 2026 will happen January 22 – February 1, and we’re anticipating main attendance as longtime festival-goers and the business descend upon Utah yet another time to say goodbye earlier than the Boulder transfer. The Colorado school city beat out Cincinnati and Salt Lake Metropolis after the pageant brass began exploring relocation choices in 2024, with Boulder chosen for its mountain views paying homage to Park Metropolis’s personal in addition to its vibrant arts group.
Sundance Movie Pageant director Eugene Hernandez shared a letter with press on Monday, July 14, outlining how Sundance’s closing Park Metropolis bow will honor its longtime Utah hub in addition to co-founder Robert Redford. The movie program will embrace 90-plus options and 50-plus shorts, alongside the pageant’s Past Movie sequence that encompasses panels and conversations. As soon as once more, Essential Road in Park Metropolis might be pedestrian-only for 2026, which helped alleviate automobile visitors round pageant venues in 2025.
Programming can even rejoice Redford’s total pageant legacy and his work as founding father of the Sundance Institute on the annual Sundance Movie Pageant Celebration fundraising occasion on January 23. Plus, archival screenings, restorations, and extra can pay tribute to Park Metropolis and Sundance’s historical past within the Utah ski city.
Hear extra from Hernandez instantly beneath:
Pals,
The 2026 Sundance Movie Pageant is simply six months away, and right now I’m excited to share some particulars and updates about our upcoming version in Utah. This yr will imply a lot for therefore many causes. Our focus is making the 2026 Pageant — in Park Metropolis and Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah, from January 22–February 1 — one to recollect, a celebration stuffed with gratitude and pleasure.
“Everybody has a narrative.” — Robert Redford
Robert Redford’s perception within the energy of storytelling has formed unbiased cinema for over 40 years. That dedication solid the Sundance Movie Pageant. From the artists premiering their new works to the audiences connecting over a discovery, our tales on and off display throughout every Pageant are those we bear in mind for a lifetime, those that shift tradition and introduce contemporary views. It’s these moments that intersect and weave collectively into one unified, evolving story of the Pageant.
Sundance Institute is a nonprofit group devoted year-round to empowering artists and uplifting unbiased storytelling. We’re impressed yearly to placed on the Pageant, our largest artist program, the place we might be introducing audiences to model new movies and initiatives created by rising and established artists alike. We additionally look ahead to exhibiting our appreciation to the Utah group as an entire who’ve supported the Pageant for therefore a few years and laid the inspiration. Sundance Institute is energized by our continued engagement with Utah year-round.
No dialog about our enduring mission is full with out celebrating the dedication of our Sundance Institute President and Founder, Mr. Redford, whose imaginative and prescient we might be honoring at this yr’s Pageant. He recognized the profoundness of uplifting new voices and defending the essence of unbiased storytelling when he first launched into this inventive endeavor with the help of so many others. That mission continues right now and can for many years to come back.
We hope you’ll be part of us for the 2026 Sundance Movie Pageant. Beneath are some particulars that will help you plan your individual journey to Utah in January:
Mark Your Calendars
The 2026 Sundance Movie Pageant will happen in individual January 22–February 1 in Park Metropolis and Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah. Premieres might be held Thursday, January 22, to Tuesday, January 27, the place audiences will see movies, episodic initiatives, and extra for the primary time, with extra showings all through all the Pageant. Beginning on Wednesday, January 28, we’ll be kicking off our joyful appreciation of 40-plus years of seminal unbiased cinema that premiered in Park Metropolis by way of particular screenings and legacy talks and occasions.
For these seeking to take part within the discovery from throughout the nation, we might be providing at-home screenings out there on-line from Thursday, January 29, to Sunday, February 1, which can characteristic movies in our 5 competitors sections, together with NEXT. Movies from different sections in our lineup may also choose to take part within the on-line Pageant program for restricted audiences. Press and business can have on-line entry to the at-home program for the skilled group starting someday earlier on Wednesday, January 28.
Celebrating the Imaginative and prescient of Robert Redford
We might be recognizing Robert Redford’s immense influence and his unwavering dedication to the nurturing and growth of unbiased storytellers and their tales by way of the influential Sundance Institute Labs, Sundance Movie Pageant, and past — with particular moments in the course of the 2026 Pageant. Mr. Redford values the facility of connecting instantly with artists, particularly within the pure setting of the Sundance Mountain Resort in the course of the artist lab packages, the place a supportive group of visionary artists convene and domesticate daring storytelling whereas taking inventive dangers guided by influential inventive advisors, and on the Pageant’s annual Administrators Brunch, which brings collectively filmmakers as they put together to introduce their tales to the world.
As a part of this appreciation, we’ll be honoring Mr. Redford’s imaginative and prescient by way of our Sundance Movie Pageant Celebration, an distinctive night being held on Friday, January 23, at Grand Hyatt Deer Valley. The annual occasion allows our nonprofit to lift funds to help unbiased artists year-round by way of labs, grants, and public programming that domesticate artists from everywhere in the world.
Contained in the 2026 Program
Our full program will embrace characteristic movies, episodic initiatives, and quick movies — welcoming 90-plus options and 50-plus shorts in 2026 — in addition to our annual Past Movie sequence, which showcases talks and occasions with among the most compelling artists and lots of extra. Keep tuned for extra particulars on the thrilling upcoming lineup!
Honoring Our Park Metropolis Legacy
Park Metropolis has been an integral a part of our Pageant, and we’re honored to indicate our appreciation all through the 2026 Pageant, together with a program of archival screenings, restorations, and particular occasions. As we stroll up and down Essential Road — which might be pedestrian-only once more in the course of the 2026 Pageant! — we’re trying ahead to commemorating the cherished experiences that we constructed collectively whereas seeking to the long run. These vital moments come from our shared historical past that launched among the most iconic movies which have continued to resonate for many years, fueled curiosity and alter, and caused unforgettable experiences.
The local people throughout Utah is a vital a part of the Sundance Movie Pageant: our devoted Institute crew, passionate volunteers, companions who’ve uplifted our gathering, native artists who’ve collaborated with us, and enthusiastic audiences. With out you, the Pageant wouldn’t be what it’s right now and into the long run.
This coming yr would be the fruits of our yearly gathering in Park Metropolis for the Sundance Movie Pageant. As you may know, the Pageant might be shifting to Boulder, Colorado, beginning in 2027. Sure, this can be a large change, however proper now it’s necessary for us to take this second and acknowledge all of the milestones and recollections that we’ve shared collectively in Park Metropolis.
Venues
We’re trying ahead to presenting our world premieres and screenings at our valued venues in Park Metropolis, Utah, together with the Eccles Theatre, Vacation Village Cinemas, Library Heart Theatre, The Ray Theatre, and Redstone Cinemas, in addition to returning this yr to The Yarrow Theatre (situated at DoubleTree by Hilton Park Metropolis – The Yarrow).
In Salt Lake Metropolis, the place so a lot of our beloved viewers members additionally be part of us, we might be returning to the Salt Lake Movie Society’s Broadway Centre Cinemas and Rose Wagner Performing Arts Centre.
Our Filmmaker Lodge on Essential Road in Park Metropolis will host Past Movie programming, with extra conversations taking place at The Field at The Ray and The Park serving as a personal occasions venue.
Sundance Movie Pageant Headquarters and Artist, Trade, and Press Hub
This yr each our Headquarters and Artist, Trade, and Press Hub might be situated on the Sheraton Park Metropolis (1895 Sidewinder Dr., Park Metropolis, Utah, 84060). You’ll want to cease by to say howdy, take a look at some merch, and extra.
Awards Ceremony
This occasion is when the artists come collectively as we honor their accomplishments and dedication to creating risk-taking, trailblazing works. The 2026 Sundance Movie Pageant jury and viewers awards might be introduced on Friday, January 30, at a ceremony at The Ray Theatre in Park Metropolis.
Lodging
In case you haven’t already, we suggest you reserve your journey and lodging early. E-book by way of our accomplice web site for particular choices and sources, together with entry to perks and an interactive map, and the place additionally, you will be supporting our Sundance Institute artist packages.
Be a part of Donor Circles
Your help is significant to fostering unbiased storytelling. Discover the distinctive advantages of Donor Circles, which supply extra than simply early entry to Pageant passes and ticket packages; they signify a deeper dedication to the humanities and unlock a curated expertise. To study extra about giving choices, join with our growth crew at [email protected] or (310) 492-2301. Keep knowledgeable in regards to the Pageant by signing up for our electronic mail record at www.sundance.org.
The 2026 Sundance Movie Pageant might be one other probability to be part of our persevering with story! I look ahead to gathering in Park Metropolis and Salt Lake Metropolis with you all this coming January to rejoice unbiased storytelling previous, current, and future.
Eugene Hernandez
Director, Sundance Movie Pageant and Public Programming