Atlanta Press Releases category interest

Atlanta is still in the running!

The Sundance Institute announced July 19 that Atlanta is one of six remaining finalists to host the annual Sundance Film Festival beginning in 2027.

The list of finalists was narrowed down from 15 to six, and Atlanta was the only city in Georgia to make it to the next round.

Both Savannah and Athens had been in the larger group of finalists.

In the Sundance press release, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens issued the following statement:

“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. 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.”

Atlanta has a vibrant film industry and community with multiple studios and independent filmmakers. Among the city’s assets are its movie theaters, including the Plaza Theater — the home base of the Atlanta Film Festival.

According to the release, the Sundance Institute did a thorough evaluation of each potential location, assessing each city’s infrastructure, ethos and equity values, event capabilities to host the Festival, and how each finalist could sustainably serve and support the ever-growing Sundance Film Festival community of independent artists and audiences.

Each finalist was required to demonstrate how they would welcome and continue to foster the diverse Sundance community and culture of independent creativity that is an integral part of the Institute and Festival experience.

The Sundance Film Festival will take place in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2025 and 2026. The location decision will apply to the Festival in 2027 and subsequent years.

The finalists selected to move forward to the final phase are:

• Atlanta, Ga.

• Boulder, Colo,

• Cincinnati, Ohio

• Louisville, Ky.

• Park City/Salt Lake City, Utah

• Santa Fe, N.M.

Members of the Sundance Institute selection committee will visit each of the finalist cities in the coming weeks to explore the possibility of hosting the festival further.

In a joint statement, Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute board chair, and Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute acting CEO, said the following in a press release:

“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. 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.”

Eugene Hernandez, director of the Festival and public programming, echoed those thoughts.

“Throughout this process, we engaged in thoughtful, lively, creative, and supportive conversations with governors, mayors, arts advocates, film commissioners, and other local leaders from locations across the country,” Hernandez said. “We’ve been buoyed by the tremendous enthusiasm and submissions from cities around the country and deeply appreciate the energy that went into each proposal.

“Getting to six finalists was a difficult decision. Each of these cities has a vibrant creative ecosystem, either expanding or established, and has enabled creativity to flourish in their cities through their support of the arts,” Hernandez continued. “These cities understand our ethos, are aligned with our key values, and have shown us interesting possibilities for partnership with our Festival — for our artists, audiences, and all who want to be a part of the Sundance Film Festival — and that makes us want to see more.

The Institute will continue to focus on completing a fair and comprehensive review of the six possible partners and will not be providing comments while the review process is taking place. Sundance Institute will provide more information once the location for the 2027 Festival has been selected.

With the Festival’s current contract with Park City up for renewal starting in 2027, the RFP process is providing the Sundance Institute a responsible way to evaluate, consider, and build on its foundation of serving a growing global independent creative community.

The Sundance Film Festival, the largest artist program of the nonprofit Sundance Institute, is the pre-eminent gathering of original storytellers and audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives and supporting independent filmmaking. Sundance Institute was founded by Robert Redford in 1981 to support, sustain, and discover independent filmmakers and storytellers.

The Sundance Film Festival, which celebrated its 40th edition last year, serves as an essential space to introduce unique voices and transform careers. Each January, audiences at the Festival are the first to discover and celebrate bold, creative visions and exciting emerging independent talent.

Here are statements from elected officials in the other five finalist cities.

Statements from elected official finalists:

Boulder, Colo., statement from Governor Jared Polis:

“I am so excited that Colorado is a finalist to host the Sundance Film Festival. With the beautiful backdrop of the Flatirons, Boulder’s historical ties to the Redford Family, and the capacity to support a growing, inclusive Festival, we are confident that Boulder, Colo., is the right home for the Sundance Film Festival. I am thrilled the Sundance Institute recognizes the potential in relocating to my hometown and look forward to the many benefits this would bring to the entire state, as well as to the Festival.”

Cincinnati, Ohio, statement from Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval:

“For over a generation, with consistent support from the City of Cincinnati, Film Cincinnati has positioned the Cincinnati region as a go-to community for movies,” said Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval. “We know how to nurture creative talent and the skilled workers behind the scenes, and we know how to celebrate them when they are on the big screen. Easily accessible to so much of the U.S. population, the Queen City is also a big-league city for broader tourism, handling major events with professionalism and capacity. Both Cincinnati and the Sundance Film Festival are on the precipice for great change, and we look forward to partnering and evolving together.”

Louisville, Ky., statement from Mayor Craig Greenberg:

“The City of Louisville and its diverse arts community is proud to be a finalist city for the Sundance Film Festival. Our rich history hosting world-class events, growing film industry, and commitment to sustainability position us as a perfect stage for the festival’s future. We are home to the greatest two minutes in sports, and we are ready to host the greatest 10 days in film.”

Park City/Salt Lake City, Utah, statement from Mayors Nann Worel (Park City), Erin Mendenhall (Salt Lake City), Jenny Wilson (Salt Lake County):

“We’ve been fortunate to host the Sundance Film Festival and witness some of the greatest films made over the past 40 years. And now, we are committed to working in partnership on a new vision of ‘Two Cities, One Experience’ with a shared goal of reinvigorating the festival with an even greater tradition for storytelling over the next 40 years. At the heart of our proposal is a commitment to ensuring it remains an inspiring showcase of independent film, bringing together audiences and creators from all walks of life.”

Santa Fe, N.M., statement from Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber:

“Santa Fe and the Sundance Film Festival are a natural fit. Our shared values of inclusion, sustainability, and diversity have long been hallmarks of both our community and the Festival’s independent spirit. Santa Fe will provide an authentic, unique, and inspiring home for storytellers of all kinds. Sundance’s sense of purpose and Santa Fe’s sense of place make this a partnership waiting to happen.”