Sundance Film Festival marks final Utah edition and highlights standout films

The Sundance Film Festival held its last Park City edition this weekend ahead of a planned move to Boulder in 2027, while the programme mixed anniversary screenings and high-profile premieres with many first-time filmmakers making up roughly 40% of the slate.

The Sundance Film Festival held its final Park City edition this weekend after more than four decades in Utah. Organisers announced the festival will relocate to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027. The programme combined celebrations of past successes with new work by many first-time feature filmmakers. Events ranged from anniversary screenings and live performances to late-night parties and industry deal-making. Key details: - The festival will move to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027 after its final Park City edition. - A 20th‑anniversary screening of Little Miss Sunshine reunited filmmakers Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and several cast members, drawing strong audience response. - First-time feature filmmakers accounted for about 40% of the slate; programming director Kim Yutani said the festival achieved its goal of discovery. - A24 reportedly acquired Olivia Wilde’s The Invite in a reported $12 million deal, and Neon reportedly bought Adrian Chiarella’s Leviticus in a reported seven‑figure deal. - Several titles, including Josephine, I Want Your Sex and Once Upon a Time in Harlem, were reported as still seeking distribution. - The festival included a political incident when a Florida congressman was assaulted at a party, and visible political pins and films such as The AI Doc prompted public discussion. Summary: The final Utah edition combined nostalgia and celebration with active industry attention, as established titles and new filmmakers shared the programme and some films attracted acquisition offers. Organisers plan to relocate the festival to Boulder in 2027. Many films remain in distribution discussions, and further outcomes are undetermined at this time.