World news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Sundance expands Boulder programme and cinema capacity for 2027
Developed over time first seen 4 months ago
Sundance Film Festival will expand its programme and upgrade several cinemas for its first 2027 edition in Boulder, Colorado, as it prepares to move from Utah. The changes matter because the festival expects its new, more compact venue network to accommodate its usual audience of more than 85,000 while allowing more films, talks and industry activity.
Each of the four main competition sections will increase to 12 films, while strands including Premieres, NEXT, Midnight and Family Matinee will also grow. Macky Auditorium will become the principal premiere venue with a new Dolby sound system and Sundance’s largest-ever screen, alongside improvements to other Boulder venues; New Frontier returns as New Frontier FLUX, and FIPRESCI will introduce awards for debut international narrative and documentary films.
- Sources
- 2
- Outlets
- 2
- Left · Centre · Right
- 0 · 0 · 0
In short
- Sundance 2027 in Boulder will have more films and upgraded cinemas.
- All four main competition sections will expand to 12 films.
- Macky Auditorium will host premieres with Dolby sound and a larger screen.
How this story developed
- 4 months ago Sundance confirmed that New Frontier would return as New Frontier FLUX, Offscreen events would increase and FIPRESCI would introduce two World Cinema debut awards, while venue work remained on schedule.
- 4 months ago The festival detailed further growth across its competition, Premieres, NEXT, Midnight and Family Matinee strands, saying Boulder’s concentrated cinema network would accommodate the expanded 2027 programme.
- 4 months ago Sundance announced plans to relocate its 2027 festival to Boulder, where upgraded venues led by Macky Auditorium and an enlarged programme would support its annual audience of more than 85,000.
Explained simply
Sundance is one of the world's most influential festivals for independent film, historically held each January in Park City, Utah, since it launched in the early 1980s. It has recently announced a move to Boulder, Colorado, with the 2027 edition set to be the first in its new home, bringing changes to venues and programming as it settles into the city.
The festival is built around competition categories that showcase new American and international dramatic and documentary films, alongside sections for premieres, experimental work and talks programmes. These strands help launch the careers of new filmmakers and often set the tone for the year's independent cinema, which is why changes to their size and format are closely watched by the film industry.
Eugene Hernandez is the festival's director and the person overseeing this transition, including decisions about venues and lineup. The International Federation of Film Critics, an organisation of critics best known for its long-standing presence at the Cannes Film Festival, is a separate body now becoming involved with Sundance for the first time, reflecting the scale of change accompanying the festival's relocation.
Coverage · 2 sources
Americas Entertainment Film World
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Deadline as “Sundance Film Festival Boulder Expanding Competition Lineup & Making Big Cinema Upgrades For 2027 Event”.