Cincinnati Loses Bid to Host 2027 Sundance Film Festival

CINCINNATI — The Sundance Film Festival has confirmed it will not be coming to Cincinnati in 2027, according to an announcement made by Film Cincinnati CEO Kristen Schlotman on Thursday.

In her statement, Schlotman emphasized Cincinnati’s efforts to demonstrate its significance within the film industry. “While Cincinnati was not selected to host the Sundance Film Festival, we are proud of how our city demonstrated its dynamic role within the film industry,” she said.

The proposal submitted by Cincinnati was centered on long-term sustainability, growth, equity, and accessibility, aiming to provide a unique festival experience that aligns with global film festival trends. However, Schlotman noted that the Sundance Film Festival ultimately favored a “more familiar setting” for its next location.

Details regarding the selected host city are expected to be announced later today, with speculation around whether Boulder, Colorado, or Salt Lake City/Park City, Utah, will be chosen. This decision comes after the Sundance Institute opened the bidding for new locations as its contract with Park City/Salt Lake City expires in 2026.

Sundance Director Eugene Hernandez elaborated on the festival’s strategic approach, stating, “We are in a unique moment for our festival and our global film community…this exploration allows us to responsibly consider how we best continue sustainably serving our community while maintaining the essence of the festival experience.”

Cincinnati was included in a shortlist of six cities and was positioned as a suitable host by Mayor Aftab Pureval. He remarked that Film Cincinnati, the nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting film and TV production in the region, reflected a commitment to bringing the festival to the city.

The festival’s economic impact report from 2023 projected a significant boost for its host city, estimating the event would create dozens of new jobs and generate a minimum of $120 million annually. This totals an estimated $1.2 billion over a decade.

Sundance, which commenced as the Utah/US Film Festival in 1978, has traditionally been held in the Park City/Salt Lake City area, though there have been some international offshoots of the festival.