What’s next for Utah film festivals after Sundance?
Mar 28, 2025, 1:00 PM
A festival attendee, left, and security guard stand outside the Egyptian Theatre following a screening during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on Jan. 24. (Tess Crowley/Deseret News)
(Tess Crowley/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Sundance Film Festival may be leaving Utah, but Utah’s Film Commission director says the move isn’t the end of film festivals in the state.
Utah Film Commission Director Virginia Pearce told Utah’s Morning News that the bid process brought Utah’s leaders together despite losing the festival.
“You know what I’ve been loving is just the rallying cry that we heard yesterday and everyone feeling like this doesn’t have to be over for Utah and film festivals.”
Pearce said the state already has many great film festivals, but she’s excited to see everyone’s enthusiasm for building something new.
“Bootstrapping and scrappy, you know, I think Utah’s leaders are leaning into that, which is exciting for us because obviously we work in that space a lot and now I’m excited to see more people that are wanting to come on board.”
Pearce said she feels the state did enough to keep Sundance in Utah.
“I don’t think that there was anything left on the table that we could have offered that we didn’t.”
Pearce said next year’s film festival may be awkward, but they are excited to welcome filmmakers and audiences back to Sundance one last time.
