AC-MAIN-Film
Some months after the Santa Fe Film Office put in a bid to become the future home of the Sundance Film Festival alongside roughly 90 other cities, the New Mexico Film Office today announced that Santa Fe has officially been named a finalist city.
According to Santa Fe Film Office Director Jennifer LaBar-Tapia, the bidding process was a sprawling operation between the city and county—both of which fall under the Santa Fe Film Office purview—plus the Albuquerque and state film offices. Sundance has called Park City, Utah, home since its 1978 founding, though its Sundance Film Institute governing body announced earlier this year its search for a a new host city after 2026.
A statement from festival leadership named the five other cities it will consider for its 2027 and subsequent festivals: Atlanta, Georgia; Boulder, Colorado; Cincinnati, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Park City/Salt Lake City, Utah.
A joint statement from Sundance Institute Board Chair Ebs Burnough and Sundance Institute Acting CEO Amanda Kelso says as they “very carefully consider this important decision for our festival, we believe these six finalists allow us the best opportunity to not only secure a sustainable future for our Festival, but also to build upon its legacy while continuing to support the next generation of storytellers and highlight bold new works of art.”
New Mexico state and local leaders touted the news Friday morning, with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham noting the prospect of hosting Sundance is “a tremendous opportunity to showcase Santa Fe’s vibrant cultural scene and stunning landscapes to a global audience. I’m confident that Santa Fe would be a fantastic home for the festival, fostering creativity and innovation for filmmakers and film lovers.”
Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber echoes those sentiments and notes that Sundance and Santa Fe have “a natural synergy between our values.”
The Sundance Institute will reportedly make its decision within the next few months. As for the cost to bring Sundance to Santa Fe, La Bar-Tapia says that, as of now, “there is not a dollar amount attached to it.”
