DENVER — Boulder has moved into the final round of cities being considered to host the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027, along with Cincinnati and Salt Lake City.

“Boulder is the next natural home to the Sundance Film Festival,” said Gov. Jared Polis in a statement. “Here in Colorado we cherish our creative communities, the jobs they create, and the economic contributions they make to our entire state, and the Sundance Film Festival would perfectly complement the work and creative activity already happening here in Colorado.”

Park City has hosted the event, which was founded by actor Robert Redford, for the past four decades. In 2023, Sundance drew more than 130,000 attendees, who watched 90 films and 60 shorts, contributing about $118 million to Utah’s economy, according to the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, which oversees film-related incentives and includes the Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media.

Each city shows promise and potential with its blend of logistics, character and programming possibilities, said Eugene Hernandez, festival director, in the Thursday morning statement. Staying in Park City is an option, too.

“We’re excited for a future Sundance that can discover, support, and inspire artists and audiences for the next forty years,” Hernandez said.

Boulder and state officials in July announced that the city had been named among the top spots for a relocated Sundance. The festival has been considering a new location due to its contract expiring with the state of Utah.

The cities that were cut from this latest round are Atlanta, Louisville, Kentucky, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Sundance Institute officials are declining further comment until the cities can get a “fair and comprehensive review” during the process, they said in the statement. They do not expect to announce a decision until after the next iteration of the festival, scheduled for Jan. 23-Feb. 2, 2025, has wrapped up.

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