Minneapolis out of the running to host Sundance Film Festival
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis has lost its bid to be the next host for the Sundance Film Festival.
Minneapolis was asked to submit a proposal for the opportunity to host the festival in 2027 and beyond. Organizers announced the six finalists on Friday, which had been whittled down from a list of 15.
The film festival, which was founded in 1981 by Robert Redford in an effort to support and discover new independent filmmakers, is seeking a new location as its contract with Park City and Salt Lake City is up in 2026.
Organizers were looking for a new location that had the infrastructure to host the festival and support its growth. The Minneapolis bidding committee — which included Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey — emphasized the city's thriving arts scene, diverse cultural heritage, and passionate film community.
But in the end, the Sundance selection committee chose six other finalists: Atlanta, Boulder, Cincinnati, Louisville, Park City/Salt Lake City and Santa Fe.
"Throughout this process, we engaged in thoughtful, lively, creative, and supportive conversations with Governors, Mayors, arts advocates, film commissioners, and other local leaders from locations across the country. We've been buoyed by the tremendous enthusiasm and submissions from cities around the country and deeply appreciate the energy that went into each proposal," said Eugene Hernandez, Festival Director and Director of Public Programming.
Over the next few weeks, committee members will visit the six cities, and the final decision is expected to be announced at the 2025 festival in January.
Minnesota film directors Joel and Ethan Coen won the Grand Jury Prize in 1985 for their debut movie, "Blood Simple."