Sundance Film Festival

Sundance Film Festival, annual motion-picture festival held in late January in the ski-resort town of Park City, Utah, renowned for showcasing the work of American filmmakers who work independently of major Hollywood studios. Formerly the United States Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival has been sponsored since 1984 by the Sundance Institute, a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by American actor, director, and producer Robert Redford to support American independent cinema. Originally an unconventional venue because of its focus on independent filmmakers, the Sundance Film Festival is now recognized as one of the most influential film events in the United States, attracting as many Hollywood agents, producers, and distributors as it does cinema enthusiasts.

The main event at the Sundance Film Festival is the American Independent Competition, for which all entries are required to be produced independently of Hollywood studios. In 1989 American director Steven Soderbergh's film sex, lies, and videotape won the festival's Grand Prize, was quickly bought by a film distribution company, and went on to achieve great critical and financial success. As a result, Sundance festivals became the leading event at which film industry executives view new work by independent filmmakers. The consequent emphasis on commerce at the festival is seen as both a blessing and a curse to the independent film world. While first-time filmmakers are glad to get the attention of studio executives, many festival participants also complain that the media attention and deal making have come at the expense of the innocence and integrity of Sundance. Recognizing the potentially damaging influence of the mainstream movie industry on what was originally an alternative festival, the film selection committee (under Redford's guidance) works hard to keep the festival committed to showcasing truly independent cinema. Of the several hundred dramatic and documentary films submitted to the festival selection committee, fewer than 20 are selected for competition. Other films of merit are now screened in new programs that often feature risqué, political, or otherwise controversial cinema. Additional attractions include programs of international cinema, retrospectives of innovative American filmmakers, highlights of Native American cinema, and a large number of short films.