Minneapolis considers bid to host Sundance Film Festival

Minneapolis is trying to lure the Sundance Film Festival away from its longtime home in Utah.

Organizers of the annual January festival last week announced they were exploring the idea of moving from its longtime home in Park City, Utah, and on Tuesday afternoon, Minneapolis City Council members were expected to discuss the idea of trying to nab it. Their support appears to be needed to ink what amounts to a secrecy contract with festival organizers before they can move ahead. Mayor Jacob Frey supports exploring it.

“The City of Minneapolis, in collaboration with Meet Minneapolis and Film North, have been requested to submit a request for information,” according to memo presented to council members Tuesday afternoon.

It’s unclear if the festival will move at all, but festival’s growth over its 40 years of being held in Park City during the height of the ski season has led to a chorus of complaints from local businesses, according to reporting by the Hollywood Reporter.

Sundance is undertaking a two-step process, and this is step one: a request for information. Cities need to get in on it by May 1. It’s unclear how many other locales are trying.

If Sundance wants to take it to the next step, it will notify cities to submit a more-detailed request for proposals starting May 7.

According to a statement from the festival:

“With the Festival’s current contract with Park City up for renewal starting in 2027, the RFI/RFP will allow the Institute to evaluate, consider, and build on its foundation for an accessible Festival serving a growing global independent creative community. The Institute is making sure that inclusivity and sustainability are always at the forefront of the festival experience, while preserving the Festival’s key mission and responsibility: discovering and supporting independent storytellers and introducing their work to new audiences.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.