Sundance Film Festival: Utah Farewell & Legacy Tribute

Sundance's Farewell in Utah

The Sundance Film Festival's final edition in its long‑time Park City, Utah home is shaping up to be a major send‑off.

Festival director Eugene Hernandez urges would‑be attendees to "make your plans now," saying interest from filmmakers, artists and industry insiders is exceptionally high.

He describes the culmination in Park City as "awesome" and expects a bustling, celebratory atmosphere.

Instead of a quiet transition to its new 2027 base in Boulder, Colorado, the Robert Redford‑founded event plans a proper farewell for the Beehive State and nearby Salt Lake City.

Programming will include a tribute to Redford — star of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid — and a slate of screenings revisiting some of Sundance's most memorable films.

The lineup is designed to honor the festival's legacy while sending it off in style.

As the Sundance Film Festival prepares for its final years in Utah before departing in 2027, organizers have unveiled an exciting retrospective program honoring both Robert Redford's legacy and the festival's rich history in Park City.

The celebration of Redford will feature special screenings, including his classic 1969 skiing film "Downhill Racer," showcasing the founder's artistic contributions that helped shape the independent film landscape.

For the traditionally quieter second week of the January 22-February 1, 2026 festival, audiences can enjoy newly restored digital presentations of landmark Sundance premieres alongside panel discussions featuring the filmmakers and cast members who brought these works to life.

The retrospective lineup announced today includes an impressive array of festival breakouts spanning different eras and genres: "Little Miss Sunshine" from directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, Reginald Hudlin's "House Party," Ryan Fleck's "Half Nelson," Barbara Kopple's documentary "American Dream," Gregg Araki's "Mysterious Skin," and James Wan's horror phenomenon "Saw."

The historic Egyptian Theatre, celebrating its centennial anniversary on Main Street, will host several special events including a screening of Lynn Shelton's "Humpday," which made its debut at the 2009 festival. Additional retrospective titles are expected to be announced as the festival approaches.

Sundance is gearing up for one last Park City run in 2026 before relocating to Boulder in 2027, and organizers are still finalizing selections, world-premiere lineups and other programming details.\n\nFestival director Eugene Hernandez describes the past few weeks as deeply emotional — not only because of the upcoming move but also after the recent death of Robert Redford. Yet he says the moment has also helped clarify the festival’s purpose.\n\nHernandez emphasizes that Sundance remains firmly connected to Utah: roughly a third of the staff live in the state, and many of the institute’s legacy programs will continue there even after the festival itself relocates.\n\nHe credits Redford with a simple guiding idea — “everyone has a story” — and says that phrase has helped focus the festival’s mission during this transition.\n\nHernandez also recalls a formative personal memory from his first Sundance visit in 1993. Fresh out of UCLA and raised near Palm Springs, he had never flown or seen snow, but was already fascinated by the films everyone talked about — titles like Paris Is Burning and Reservoir Dogs.\n\nAt that first festival he attended an intimate directors’ brunch at the Sundance Mountain Resort and met Redford in person. Redford moved through the room with easy warmth, greeting filmmakers and guests; the encounter, Hernandez says, opened his eyes to what a film community could feel like and changed the direction of his life.\n\nLooking ahead to the 2026 festival, Hernandez promises an “awesome” experience while the organization honors Redford’s legacy and balances its Utah roots with plans for the future in Colorado.

Sundance’s Utah Farewell

Sundance’s final Utah chapter gains momentum

as the festival prepares its 2027 relocation to Boulder.

A curated Park City Legacy program emerges

honoring Robert Redford’s enduring vision,

with archival screenings celebrating landmark films.

American Dream returns in anniversary glory,

its restored print revealing labor struggles anew.

Half Nelson resurfaces with Gosling’s breakthrough role,

while House Party’s restoration revives cult comedy.

Eugene Hernandez confirms progress

amid bittersweet Utah culmination plans.

Programming advances steadily toward 2026,

despite creative extensions granting filmmakers leeway.

Team viewings in LA and New York intensify

as selections near completion.

Boulder already thrums with Sundance energy,

monthly events filling amphitheaters beyond capacity.

Community embrace exceeds expectations,

offering fertile ground for Redford’s mission.

The festival’s soul remains steadfast,

though Colorado expressions may differ.

Passes for Park City’s farewell edition

spark immediate industry interest.

Hernandez urges audiences to linger,

assuring this Utah finale holds awesome promise.

Redford’s legacy echoes through mountain towns,

from Park City’s last bow to Boulder’s first embrace.

Celebrating Film Classics: Sundance's Special Retrospective Screenings

The Sundance Film Festival will honor its rich cinematic history with special retrospective screenings of influential independent films that shaped the festival's legacy.

"Humpday," Lynn Shelton's boundary-pushing comedy about friendship, will be featured as a memorial tribute. The 2009 Special Jury Prize winner exemplifies the festival's spirit of independence through its exploration of male relationships pushed to uncomfortable artistic extremes.

Marking its 20th anniversary, "Little Miss Sunshine" returns with a stunning 4K restoration. The 2006 festival breakout about a dysfunctional family's cross-country journey launched directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris to prominence and collected numerous accolades including two Academy Awards. Several original cast members including Abigail Breslin, Paul Dano, and Greg Kinnear will attend the celebration.

Gregg Araki's powerful "Mysterious Skin" receives special recognition with a meticulous 4K restoration from original 35mm elements. This haunting exploration of trauma, developed at Sundance's 1997 Screenwriters Lab before premiering in 2005, demonstrates the festival's commitment to challenging narratives.

Horror fans will appreciate the restoration of James Wan's genre-defining "Saw," which shocked midnight audiences at the 2004 festival. The director-approved 4K scan showcases the psychological thriller that launched a franchise and redefined horror filmmaking.

Beyond screenings, the festival will host special talks exploring storytelling and artistic legacy, bringing together alumni filmmakers for meaningful discourse. The program culminates with a public appreciation event on January 30, celebrating the festival's decades-long relationship with Park City and Utah before its planned relocation in 2027.

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