Sundance 2021 to Extend Beyond Utah, Be Held in 20 Cities Nationwide and Online

The 2021 Sundance Film Festival will adjust to the coronavirus by taking place not just in Park City, Utah where it has for near 40 years, but also in at least 20 different cities across the country, as well as in an online format.

Sundance’s new director Tabitha Jackson, who came aboard as director this year, revealed the news in a New York Times interview Monday and in a memo shared to press and said the festival is in exploratory discussions with cinemas in “LA to Louisville, from New York to Nashville, from Austin to Atlanta, from Detroit to Denver, from Minneapolis to Mexico City.”

Jackson says the festival will be co-created by and for the specific communities and will each host their own slate of films along with their own programming, while the full slate will still play in Park City.

Also Read: New Sundance Director Tabitha Jackson Talks Boosting Accessibility, Independent Voices

“The 2021 Sundance Film Festival will be a grand partnership of communities,” Jackson said in part in her memo. “Their communities acting as vibrant hubs of creativity, maker culture, and adventurous audiences. This plan acknowledges the vital role of the independent cinema network in our ecosystem.”

There will still be an online hub for the festival, with audiences able to view the curated program of films online, as well as take part in other live discussions and events. The idea is to limit the many live events taking place within Utah while keeping the structure of the festival in tact.

“The structure as we are currently conceiving it will remain intact — a festival that for this year is live and digital and is co-created with partners,” Jackson said. “A festival that will serve our communities where they want to be, given conditions of pandemic and economy. A festival that is more than the sum of its parts, but whose parts are all driven by values and the opportunity to think a different thought.”

Also Read: Online Festival 'We Are One' Sets More Than 100 Films to Screen Free on YouTube

Jackson adds that Sundance 2021 may also tinker with a new start date and a different length to the festival. Sundance is currently slated for January 21, 2021, but Jackson is eyeing a start date of January 28 to create room between the start of the festival and a potential presidential inauguration, though it does not seem to be adjusting to the delayed 2021 Oscars as other festivals, awards shows and events leading up to the Oscars have already done.

Sundance will additionally be looking to the guidance of the film festivals taking place this fall, many of which are plotting similarly hybrid online and in-person festival experiences to adjust to the coronavirus outbreak.

“We look forward to exchanging ideas and improving on the specifics over the coming months,” Jackson said. “Together we can thoughtfully build this special edition of the Sundance Film Festival, perhaps breaking some “rules” as we go.”

The Scene From TheWrap at Sundance (Photos)

Clare Burgess, Sharon Waxman, and Leonid Solovyev of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Leonid Solovyev and Clare Burgess of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Sergio" producer Daniel Dreifous, producer Joe Pichirallo, Dean of USC School of Cinematic Arts Elizabeth Daley at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
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Director Julie Taymor, composer Elliot Goldenthal, actor DW Moffett, and "The Glorias" producer Lynn Hendee at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
GLAAD's Jeremy Blacklow, "Disclosure" director Sam Feder and actor Harvey Guillén at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Panelists at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
TheWrap founder Sharon Waxman with GLAAD's Jeremy Blacklow, director Patricia Vidal Delgado, actor Harvey Guillén, actor Frankie Rodriguez and producer Taryn Arriola at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Producer Paula Silver, Sharon Waxman and actor DW Moffett at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Jeremy Blacklow speaks at a panel at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Rodriguez and Ariola at a panel at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Panelists at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Actor Harvey Guillén at TheWrap's panel at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Panelists with Latinx House co-founder Monica Ramirez at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Toni Collette, Kelly Rowland and Yaani King Mondschein at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
Glenn Close and Alec Baldwin at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
"Spree" actor Joe Keery at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
"Horse Girl" star Alison Brie signs a giant bottle for a charity auction at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
Tara Miele and Sienna Mellier of "Wander Darkly" at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
Guests at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Sharon Waxman, director Chris Miller, and Studios 101's Heather Phillips at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Attorney Steven Beer and guest at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Sharon Waxman at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Leonid Solovyev, Clare Burgess, Sharon Waxman, and Dean Daley at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Clare Burgess speaks at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Director Chris Miller and Studio 101's Heather Phillips attend a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
TheWrap's Sharon Waxman greets director Maïmoune Doucuré at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
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“The Dissident” director Bryan Fogel and friend attend a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Sergio" producer Daniel Dreifous, "Disclosure" producer Amy Scholder, "Disclosure" director Sam Feder, and GLAAD's Jeremy Blacklow at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Clare Burgess, Sharon Waxman, and Leonid Solovyev of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Cuties" director Maïmoune Doucuré speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"The Glorias" producer Lynn Hendee and actor DW Moffett at TheWrap's influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Producer Joe Pichirallo at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
GLAAD's Jeremy Blacklow at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Disclosure" producer Amy Scholder and GLAAD's Anthony Ramos at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
DW Moffett at the annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Director Sam Feder speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
GLAAD's Anthony Ramos speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Sergio" producer Daniel Dreifous speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Leonid Solovyev speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Studios 101's James Allen speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Composer Elliot Goldenthal speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Dean Daley at TheWrap's influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Bryan Fogel speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Filmmaker Aviva Kempner speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca