Louisville has been named one of six finalists to become the next possible home of the internationally known Sundance Film Festival.
The announcement, made Friday, puts Louisville in contention to host the festival beginning in 2027. For the past 40 years, the festival has been held in Park City, Utah.
“We’re very excited to reach this stage in the process,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said Friday. “At the same time, we’re not content just to be in the running. We want to win and we want to help the Sundance Film Festival grow in new and exciting ways. And that’s why I’m all in. That’s why our city’s all in. That’s why our state’s all in.”
Greenberg added Louisville is, “home to the greatest two minutes in sports and we are ready to host the greatest 10 days in film” and the city was one of more than 90 others that applied to host the festival. He was joined Friday by Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, Louisville Metro Council President Markus Winkler, Louisville Tourism CEO Cleo Battle and several leaders in Louisville’s film and creative spaces.
Members of the selection committee will visit Louisville, along with the other finalist cities, in the coming weeks.
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The six finalists are:
- Atlanta
- Boulder, Colorado
- Cincinnati
- Louisville
- Salt Lake City/Park City, Utah
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
To create its host site shortlist, the Sundance Institute evaluated each city’s infrastructure, event capabilities, “ethos and equity values” as well as how each “could sustainably serve and support” the festival’s artists and audiences, the institute said in its announcement.
“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, in a news release.
Soozie Eastman, president of 502 Film, called the shortlist selection an “honor” and praised the Sundance Film Festival as “one of the oldest, most esteemed, supportive pillars of the visual storytelling and creative world.”
“As Louisville’s film economy and production community continues to grow, it’s with extraordinary excitement we receive news that Sundance is considering our city as a potential future site for [its] internationally renowned film festival,” she said in a statement. “We have always been a community overflowing with creative talent and Louisville continues to attract productions to the area because of our experienced crew, unique locations and incomparable film tax incentives.”
In mid-April, the nonprofit Sundance Institute opened a Request for Information, which closed May 1, followed by a Request for Proposal, which ended June 21, to explore viable locations in the United States to host the Sundance Film Festival beginning in 2027, according to a blog post on its website.
“The RFI/RFP will allow the Institute to evaluate, consider, and build on its foundation for an accessible Festival serving a growing global independent creative community … while preserving the Festival’s key mission and responsibility: discovering and supporting independent storytellers and introducing their work to new audiences,” the blog states.
Here’s what else to know about the Sundance Film Festival, its move, and what’s next for Louisville.
What is the Sundance Film Festival?
The Sundance Film Festival is a public program run by the Sundance Institute nonprofit and is the “pre-eminent gathering of original storytellers and audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives and supporting independent film,” according to the blog post.
Founded by acclaimed actor Robert Redford, the Sundance Film Festival has been “a foothold for independent filmmaking, serving as an essential space for introducing unique voices while transforming careers. Each January, audiences are the first to discover and celebrate the bold, creative visions and exciting new talent that will be part of the conversation for years to come,” the blog states.
In 2024, the festival had a record number of submissions — more than 17,000 from 153 countries, according to Sundance.
Where is the Sundance Film Festival currently held?
For the past 40 years, the Sundance Film Festival has been held in Park City, Utah. The 2025 and 2026 Sundance Film Festivals will still be held in Park City, which serves as the headquarters for Sundance.
Why is the Sundance Film Festival moving?
The Sundance contract with Park City is up for renewal starting in 2027. The festival plans to use the RFI/RFP to “evaluate, consider, and build on its foundation for an accessible Festival serving a growing global independent creative community,” according to the blog.
Why is Louisville vying to host the festival?
Louisville hopes to bring filmmakers from around the world to Bourbon City while also deepening connections with its local community of artists.
If Louisville hosted the festival, it could bring in as much as $170 million into the economy.
“It would certainly establish Louisville globally as a leader for creative and innovative people in general and in the film industry in particular,” Greenberg said.
Dean Otto, curator of film at the Speed Art Museum, said it is an honor Louisville is being considered.
“Many of the films that premiered at Sundance are screened at the Speed when they are released in theaters,” Otto said. “We’d be thrilled to host the ground-breaking films that the Sundance Film Festival premieres each year.”
What incentives is Louisville offering Sundance?
The incentives are confidential while the competitive process is ongoing, said Greenberg, but he has been collaborating with Gov. Andy Beshear and the General Assembly to see what the state could offer.
Stivers, a Republican representing Manchester, said he and Greenberg have been communicating back and forth for months about the incentive package.
“I can’t guarantee what the General Assembly will do — what will come about in incentives — but I will guarantee this: I am going to make my best effort to convince my colleagues to come and work with the mayor as we did in this past session to make Louisville and Kentucky — the rural and urban areas better — and this is one of the ways we can do it,” Stivers said. “By trying to attract and bring quality, big-time, sophisticated events to our cities and our commonwealth.”
Kentucky also offers competitive film tax incentives.
What’s next for Louisville?
Sundance Institute selection committee members will visit Louisville and the other finalist cities in the coming weeks to assess their potential.
Soon after that, the institute will make its decision, said Greenberg.
The Friday announcement from the institute did not provide specifics on what helped Louisville make the shortlist. The nonprofit promised “a fair and comprehensive review” and noted it won’t provide comment while that review is underway.
However, Eastman said an economic impact on Louisville already started in the few hours since the institute announced Louisville as a finalist.
“To have 10 emails in a two-hour period already with filmmakers that are interested in bringing their films here immediately has an economic impact on our city because we’re being given a stamp of approval by one of the most internationally renowned film festivals in the world.”
When is the 2025 Sundance Film Festival?
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival will occur in Park City and Salt Lake City from Jan. 23-Feb. 2, 2025.
Reach growth and development reporter Matthew Glowicki at [email protected] or 502-582-4000. Reach reporter Eleanor McCrary at [email protected] or @ellie_mccrary on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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