Sundance will require booster shots for festival attendees

Booster shots are now required for all in-person attendees at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Photo: Jonathan Hickerson // Sundance Institute

PARK CITY, Utah — The Sundance Institute announced new health safety policies on Thursday for the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, set to take place January 20 through 30.

COVID-19 booster shots are now required for all in-person attendees who are eligible and for who the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends, which is currently everyone ages 16 and older.

“We urge all who are eligible to receive the booster now,” the Sundance Institute said in a press release.

Vaccine and booster verification will occur at hubs across Park City.

Sundance will be utilizing a third-party company (PandemSafe) to verify proof of vaccination. Individuals will upload their vaccination card into the PandemSafe portal, via a link sent to their email. The email will be generated when someone purchases a ticket, or it will be available under the How to Fest section of Sundance’s website starting January 6.

PandemSafe will then verify the uploaded vaccination card within 1-2 days from upload prior to the festival and 2-4 hours during the festival. The individual will then be sent a QR code. The code allows users to get a wristband at the hubs when they come to the festival. Individuals may show a paper vaccination card at a hub to get a wristband as well.

In the event that someone is not verified at the hubs, Sundance will accept QR codes at the theaters but not paper vaccine cards.

Theaters will operate at reduced capacity with no eating or drinking allowed in theaters. Capacity is also being reduced for most of the festival-operated events.

Vaccine verification hubs will offer free COVID-19 testing as well.

Employees, volunteers, and onsite contractors are required to be tested at check-in and mid-way through the festival.

Artists, press, and industry are required to be tested within 48 hours prior to arrival or upon arrival. Additional testing is required for private events, and for artists that are participating in Q&As, programming, and press lines.

Both PCR and rapid antigen tests will be offered and accepted as proof of a COVID-19 test.

For tests taken outside of the festival’s testing hubs, results will take up to 4 hours to receive.

Once uploaded, the test result will be valid for 48 hours, starting from the time of testing.

Sundance employees and volunteers will also undergo daily health screenings.

Current hubs:

Kearns Bonanza Corner (Old Maverick Station)

• January 17 – January 30 from 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM MST

Miners Hospital

• January 20 – January 25 from 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM MST
• January 26 – January 30 from 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM MST

Galleria Parking Lot off of Main Street in Park City

• January 17 – January 30 from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM MST

“We are continuing to evaluate enhanced safety measures for onsite elements around capacity, non-film events, and food and beverages. In addition to our existing health safety measures of requiring vaccinations, mask wearing, and testing to maximize safety,” the institute said.

Ticket packages for the festival are now available, with single tickets going on sale on January 6.