That’s a Wrap
The 46th edition of Utah’s Sundance Film Festival, while remaining a must-do for cinephiles, admittedly has a different vibe this year.
First, Park City’s Main Street, the principal destination for fest-goers, looks different since police barricades at the top and bottom of the street make it a pedestrian-only thoroughfare. (More on that later…)
Second, the usually snowy Wasatch Mountains surrounding Park City are nearly barren. While New Orleans got more than 8 inches of snow last week, Salt Lake City has received barely 6 inches for the season and the Wasatch Range’s snow drought of 2024 continues in 2025, with some areas reporting less than 60% of normal snow/water equivalent.
Third, is the undercurrent of Sundance’s possible move, with Salt Lake/Park City one of three finalists, along with Boulder, Colorado and, of course, Cincinnati as the new home for the iconic film festival. While no decision is expected until spring, it certainly was the early talk of the festival.
While we await the decision, let’s remember that Sundance is, first and foremost, a tradeshow for movie makers looking for buyers for their films. It is the premiere showcase for independent filmmakers, with nearly 16,000 submissions from 33 countries vying for one of the 88 film (and six episodic) projects making the cut this year. On top of that, it’s an economic boon for the host. The festival’s total economic impact in 2024, according to the festival, was estimated at $132 million, generating an estimated 1,730 jobs for Utah and generating $13.8 million in state and local tax revenue.
If the film’s the thing, then filmgoers had plenty to sample this year. Remembering that Sundance is a showcase for distributors looking for the next “CODA” or “Sex, Lies and Videotape,” Variety came out with its top picks for this year, including
“Kiss of the Spider Woman” with Jennifer Lopez, based more on the Broadway adaptation than the 1985 film of the same name.
“Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore,” a documentary of the Oscar winner’s career and her activism within the deaf community.
‘Jimpa,” where we see John Lithgow (ALL of him, if you get what I mean) as a gay grandfather living in Amsterdam. His daughter (Olivia Coleman) visits from Australia with her nonbinary child that Lithgow lovingly calls his “grandthing.”
“Pee-wee as Himself,” a documentary where Paul Reubens talks about his career, his alter-ego Pee-wee Herman and his personal life. It truly is the last word on Reuben’s career, as he died in 2023, the day after recording his last interview for the documentary.
The movies go on, with increased police presence visible all around the festival. After the mass killing in New Orleans on New Year’s, law enforcement made the decision to close off Main Street and secure side streets going into the heart of town. While some feared the restrictions would cut down on retail and restaurant traffic, the opposite seems to be the case, at least through the first weekend. Attendees seemed to relish the open spaces of the street, and retailers liked the foot traffic unincumbered by parked cars, delivery trucks and piles of snow (remember, it hasn’t snowed a lot).
At the close of Sundance, the grand jury award winners included “Atropia,” in U.S. Dramatic competition; “Seeds,” U.S. Documentary competition; “Sabar Bonda” (Cactus Pears), World Cinema Dramatic competition, and “Cutting Through Rocks,” World Cinema Documentary competition. The NEXT Innovator Award presented by Adobe went to “Zodiac Killer Project.”
It was hard to go to a movie screening this week without running into someone from Cincinnati, as the region’s business, civic and arts leaders were out to experience the Sundance magic along with Film Cincinnati, the non-profit that brings new productions into the Greater Cincinnati area. In between the premieres and the parties, there’s serious business that happens at Sundance, nnd Cincinnati is right in the middle of it.