CINCINNATI — Cincinnati has made a short list of finalists selected to possibly host the Sundance Film Festival in future years.
According to a press release from the Sundance Institute, Cincinnati is one of six possible locations the festival is considering for 2027 "and subsequent years."
The full list of finalists are:
- Cincinnati
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Boulder, Colorado,
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Park City/Salt Lake City, Utah
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
The festival accepted proposal requests from cities from May 7 through June 21. The six cities were chosen as finalists that will move forward "to the next phase as potential host cities."
According to the release, the Sundance Institute assessed each applicant city's infrastructure, ethos and equity values, event-hosting capabilities, and how each finalist city could sustainably serve and support the festival as it grows.
Film Cincinnati Executive Director Kristen Schlotman greeted news of Cincinnati's selection in the wake of multiple movies filmed in town with glee.
"It's not just that we have more and more films coming, but we have more and more people in this community excited about films in general," she said.
Former WCPO Photojournalist and founding member of the Southern Ohio Filmmakers Association Scott Wegener said the festival could be transformative for the town, and he didn't expect Cincinnati to make the list.
"It actually surprises me," he said. "I was just at Sundance last year."
Wegener said the massive film festival would be welcomed with open arms by Cincinnati's fervent film fans and, in turn, the festival could expand upon the number of dedicated locals passionate about making movies.
"We don't have to wait for Hollywood to show up," he said. "We can write, produce, direct, edit, everything from beginning to end right here in town."
For 2025 and 2026, the festival is already slated to be held in Park City/Salt Lake City, Utah, where it's been held since it was started over 40 years ago.
In April, WCPO 9's sister station in Salt Lake City reported the film festival had announced it could move out of its longtime home.
"We are in a unique moment for our Festival and our global film community, and with the contract up for renewal, this exploration allows us to responsibly consider how we best continue sustainably serving our community while maintaining the essence of the Festival experience,” said Eugene Hernandez, Director, Sundance Film Festival and Public Programming, in a statement released by the Sundance Institute.
"We are looking forward to conversations that center supporting artists and serving audiences as part of our mission and work at Sundance Institute, and are motivated by our commitment to ensure that the Festival continues to thrive culturally, operationally, and financially as it has for four decades."
In the press release, Mayor Aftab Pureval told the Sundance Institution that Film Cincinnati, a nonprofit dedicated to cultivating film and TV production in the region, has uniquely positioned Cincinnati to be able to serve as a host for the Sundance Festival.
"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 Pureval in the press release. "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 US 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."
The Sundance Film Festival is part of the Sundance Institute, which was founded by Robert Redford in 1981 to support, sustain and discover independent filmmakers and storytellers. The festival just celebrated its 40th year in 2023. The festival took over what was then known as the Utah/U.S. Film Festival.
The Sundance Film Festival is typically held each year in January. The festival has featured films and episodic works like "Won't You Be My Neighbor?," "Little Miss Sunshine," "Reservoir Dogs," "Hereditary" and more.
