Sundance Film Festival shifts to Boulder for its 2027 edition

The Sundance Film Festival will hold its first Boulder edition from Jan. 21‑31, 2027, moving from Park City, Utah to a compact, walkable two‑mile footprint in downtown Boulder, Colorado. Festival director Eugene Hernandez outlined the new layout, noting that key venues—including the Macky Auditorium, Old Main, Roe Green Theatre, Pearl Street pedestrian mall, and the Boulderado Hotel—are within easy walking distance.

Upgraded facilities will feature state‑of‑the‑art sound and projection systems, such as Dolby sound installations and 240‑speaker setups at the Macky Auditorium. The program will expand, adding more films to U.S. and World Cinema sections and reviving the New Frontier section to spotlight technology‑forward projects, while also considering the inclusion of AI‑created films.

The move aligns with support from Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who has backed the state’s festival tax‑incentive bill and coordinated resources between the Sundance Institute, Visit Boulder, and the University of Colorado. The redesigned festival aims to offer a more dynamic and accessible experience for artists and audiences alike.