The Sundance Film Festival will hold its 2027 edition in Boulder, Colorado, from January 21 to 31. This follows the 2026 event, which marked the final year in Park City, Utah. Festival director Eugene Hernandez outlined the plans in late July, noting the shift allows for a more compact setup within a two mile radius of downtown Boulder and the University of Colorado Boulder campus.
Four main competition categories U.S. Dramatic, World Cinema Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, and World Cinema Documentary will each feature 12 films, up from previous years. Sections such as Premieres, NEXT, Midnight, and Family Matinee will also expand. The New Frontier program returns under the name New Frontier FLUX to present works involving emerging technologies and storytelling. The International Federation of Film Critics, known as FIPRESCI, will form a jury to award best debut narrative and best debut documentary prizes in the world cinema competitions. World Cinema Grand Jury Prize winners will qualify for the Academy Awards international feature film category.
Venues include Macky Auditorium on the University of Colorado Boulder campus, fitted with a large screen and 240 Dolby speakers as the main premiere site. Other locations are Boulder Theater, Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder High School Auditorium, Casey Middle School Auditorium, the Dairy Arts Center, and Cinemark Century for press and industry screenings. Festival headquarters will be at the Hotel Boulderado. Online screenings for the public run from January 28 to 31, with earlier access for press and industry.
Sundance Institute continues its year round artist programs. On August 20, the Institute named ten fellows for the 2026 Episodic Intensive, a virtual program held August 20 and 21. The selected writers are Christin Campbell, Lisa Corn, Daphne Di Cinto, Grant Fortune, Courtney Graham, Caia Lee, Alejandra Lopez, Ssuuna McKitty, Francesco Staluppi, and Daud Sumolang. They will develop nine projects with guidance from advisors including Katherine DiSavino, Tash Gray, and others. The Institute also recently promoted Trista Schroeder to general counsel and chief operating officer.
Volunteer applications open August 31. Passes and packages go on sale in October, with the film lineup due in December and single tickets in early January. The Institute maintains labs and other support programs, including those previously held in Utah and Colorado locations. Amy Redford, Rian Johnson, Dee Rees, and Christine Vachon are scheduled to appear at a related event in Denver on September 8.
