Slamdance Film Festival cancels due to COVID-19

The Slamdance Film Festival will return to Park City for an in-person event in January. Photo: Slamdance Film Festival

LOS ANGELES — The Slamdance Film Festival is canceling the in-person portion of its hybrid event in Park City, “due to concerns around the Omicron variant.”

The festival was scheduled to run from January 20 to 23, alongside the first days of the Sundance Film Festival.

“Although we are disappointed that we won’t be able to participate in the communal, in-person experience, we know we can create a unique festival experience for all of our filmmakers through Slamdance’s online platform,” said Peter Baxter, Slamdance president and co-founder.

“We are looking forward to utilizing the expertise we’ve already gained in attracting a global audience, building upon our accessibility goals and pushing the boundaries of what a decentralized festival can be.”

The show will go on virtually, with a lineup of screenings, events, and live Q&As running from January 27 to February 6 online.

First held in 1995, Slamdance only showcases films that are feature-length directorial debuts without US distribution, with a budget of less than $1 million.

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