Cincinnati is one of three finalists to be the new home for the Sundance Film Festival
By Bryn Dippold
The Sundance Institute has tapped Cincinnati as one of three finalists to be the next home for its iconic Film Festival. The festival, which was founded in 1978 as the Utah/US Film Festival as a way to attract filmmakers to Utah, has been held in Park City/Salt Lake City every January since. The new chosen location will have its inaugural festival in 2027.
This move signals a greater call for independent filmmakers in smaller markets. Salt Lake City/Park City, Utah, is a finalist, as well as Boulder, Colorado.
Cincinnati, though, has shown that it’s a strong contender with the number of movies filmed here over the past decade, including The Bikeriders with Tom Hardy and Austin Butler in 2024; Bones and All with Timothée Chalamet in 2022; and Netflix’s Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile with Zac Efron in 2018.
While a total of five films were made in Cincinnati in the ’80s, eight films were made in Cincinnati in 2016 alone. Caitlin Jacobs, director of operations for Film Cincinnati, a nonprofit organization dedicated to attracting moviemakers to Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, said in a press release that tax incentives are drawing moviemakers to Cincinnati.
The iconic architecture of Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, which is one of the largest, most intact urban historic districts in the United States, also provides a backdrop that can be transformed into other major U.S. cities without much digital alteration.
This gives Cincinnati a fighting chance at hosting the festival, something that promises to bring attention to the region’s burgeoning film industry and bolster the local economy.
“We are ecstatic to continue being considered as the next host city for the Sundance Film Festival,” Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and Film Cincinnati president and CEO Kristen Schlotman said in a joint statement. “As long-time attendees, we believe Cincinnati’s dedication to the arts, hospitality and historic theaters make it a great fit. We are inspired by the idea of partnering with the Sundance Institute to celebrate the festival’s rich legacy while introducing a dynamic, walkable and accessible new venue. Cincinnati’s blend of creativity, culture and community promises to be an unforgettable experience for both filmmakers and audiences.”
Now that the three finalists have been chosen, they will move into a concluding review process to determine the new host for the festival. The decision will be announced next year after the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, which will be held in January. The festival will continue to take place in Park City and Salt Lake City in 2026, as well, but 2027 will mark the first year of the festival in its new city.
“As we move to the next phase in our search for a sustainable home for the Sundance Film Festival, we see great promise and potential in Boulder, Cincinnati and Salt Lake/Park City,” Eugene Hernandez, festival director and head of public programming, said in a statement from the Sundance Institute. “Each has shown us the blend of exciting possibilities, values and logistics needed to produce a vibrant, inviting and inclusive festival. We’re excited for a future Sundance that can discover, support and inspire artists and audiences for the next 40 years.”