Leave the snow boots, parkas and glove warmers in the closet, the 2021 Sundance Film Festival is coming down from the mountain and straight to your living room.
Organizers on Wednesday said that this year they will premiere over 70 films on a custom online platform during the seven day event. There will also be some socially distanced screening opportunities around the country. The festival, which is normally held in Park City, Utah, has been preparing for various scenarios for months as the pandemic has raged on.
What You Need To Know
- Sundance Film Festival organizers said Wednesday that this year they will premiere over 70 films on a custom online platform
- The festival is normally held in Park City, Utah
- There will be limited screenings at venues across the country, including Pasadena's Rose Bowl
- The 2021 festival runs from January 28 through February 3
Festival director Tabitha Jackson said that this model, “Gives us the opportunity to reach new audiences, safely, where they are.”
Over the course of the festival, feature films will premiere throughout the day at a dedicated time followed by a live Q&A. Ticketholders will have a three-hour window to watch. Second screenings will be available for 24 hours two days later. The rollout, organizers said, is designed to “preserve the energy of a Festival.”
This year, the Festival is coming to you! Join in on the experience via #SundanceSatellite screens, a constellation of arthouse cinemas, drive-ins, and pop-ups. Find one in your area.
— SundanceFilmFestival (@sundancefest) December 2, 2020
There will also be limited screenings at venues across the county, including Birmingham, Alabama’s Sidewalk Drive-In, Pasadena, California’s Rose Bowl, Denver’s Sie Film Center and Columbus, Ohio’s Gateway Film Center.
“At the heart of all this is a belief in the power of coming together, and the desire to preserve what makes a festival unique -- a collaborative spirit, a collective energy, and a celebration of the art, artists, and ideas that leave us changed,” Jackson said.
The 2021 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 28 through February 3, and tickets will be available for purchase for the general public beginning January 7. The 2021 slate will be revealed in the coming weeks.