Sundance Film Festival cancels in-person plans for second year in a row

The cancelation, two weeks out from the start of the festival, is a major loss for Park City businesses. Photo: TownLift

PARK CITY, Utah — The Sundance Institute announced on Wednesday that the Sundance Film Festival, which starts on Jan. 20, is canceling its in-person plans in Utah. The festival will continue with its virtual plans online at festival.sundance.org. It marks the second year in a row that the festival will be entirely online, leaving local business owners without an economic boost.

“We have been looking forward to our first fully hybrid Sundance Film Festival and our teams have spent a year planning a festival like no other. But despite the most ambitious protocols, the Omicron variant with its unexpectedly high transmissibility rates is pushing the limits of health safety, travel and other infrastructures across the country. And so, today we’re announcing: the Festival’s in-person Utah elements will be moving online this year,” the institute said in a press release.

“While it is a deep loss to not have the in-person experience in Utah, we do not believe it is safe nor feasible to gather thousands of artists, audiences, employees, volunteers, and partners from around the world, for an eleven-day festival while overwhelmed communities are already struggling to provide essential services.

“This was a difficult decision to make. As a nonprofit, our Sundance spirit is in making something work against the odds. But with case numbers forecasted to peak in our host community the week of the festival we cannot knowingly put our staff and community at risk.

“The undue stress to Summit County’s health services and our more than 1,500 staff and volunteers would be irresponsible in this climate. It has  become increasingly clear over the last few days that this is the right decision to make for the care and well-being of all of our community.”

“The Park City Council and I fully support Sundance Institute’s incredibly difficult and yet compassionate decision to move the 2022 Sundance Film Festival to a virtual format,” Park City Mayor Nann Worel said in a statement. “The health and safety of our community remain our top priority, and we are fortunate to have a partner that shares these values. We encourage everyone to enjoy the Festival’s magic virtually – and we look forward to gathering with Festivalgoers online in 2022 and in-person in 2023.”

Sundance came forward with a deep plan on how to safely run the festival in the pandemic era. Prior to the cancelation on Wednesday, the non-profit was planning on requiring booster shots and testing for attendees. One Variety report suggested Sundance was considering a booster shot distribution program at the festival.

Single tickets will now go on sale on Jan. 13 (Jan. 12 for institute members).