Utah’s Sundance Film Festival, held for 40 years in Park City, may be leaving after the state Legislature passed a bill banning Pride flags in government buildings.
According to Deadline, the festival is expected to announce by the end of April whether it will remain in Park City or relocate to Boulder, Colorado, or Cincinnati by 2027. The Pride flag bill, awaiting Gov. Spencer Cox’s signature, could complicate Utah’s bid.
The state’s Senate passed the GOP bill by a 21-8 vote last week.
“Utah is Utah, but this goes to the heart of the community Sundance has worked years and years to develop,” a Sundance insider told Deadline, indicating frustration.
“There is not a state in this nation where inclusivity, diversity and empathy aren’t under attack,” Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall told Deadline. “Salt Lake City will never stop supporting our neighbors, including the LGBTQIA community, and Sundance is an incredible partner in that support.”
Utah is the birthplace of the indie festival — which was originally called “Utah/US Film Festival” — and founded under the auspices of actor Robert Redford’s company Wildwood Enterprises after his experience filming in the state.
The bill, HB77, limits government flag displays to U.S., state, military and university flags. Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union and Equality Utah, argue the measure unfairly targets LGBT representation.
“It is a terrible law, a terrible look for the state,” the Sundance insider told Deadline, reacting to the measure after a virtual meeting between festival leaders and Utah officials.
Utah has long been a front-runner in the Sundance selection process, with Mr. Cox leading efforts to transition the festival from Park City to Salt Lake City in 2027. The governor recently pushed for $3 million in state funding for Sundance to sweeten the deal.
Rep. Trevor Lee, a Republican sponsor of HB77, defended the bill.
“We are making sure that flags being displayed on government property are politically neutral,” he told Deadline.
Sundance, which next is scheduled Jan. 22-Feb. 1 in Park City, brought $132 million in economic impact to Utah in 2024, including 1,730 jobs and nearly $14 million in state and local taxes, according to Y2 Analytics. A move to Boulder or Cincinnati could deal a significant financial blow to the state.
As of now, Park City’s contract with the indie film festival is set to expire after Sundance 2026.
