Sundance Film Festival brings tech upgrades to Colorado theatres as preparations continue
With seven months until opening night, preparations for the 2027 Sundance Film Festival are already underway.
Film submissions are officially open, construction projects are beginning at venues across the city, and festival organizers are working with local leaders to shape what the event will look like when it arrives in Colorado.
Hotel Boulderado is expected to be among the places visitors can stay during the festival, while local screenings are already taking place through partner events ahead of Sundance's debut.
"We are inviting local artists and filmmakers to submit their work, whether it's a short form work, whether it's a feature, whether it's episodic," said Sundance Film Festival Director and Head of Public Programming Eugene Hernandez.
Hernandez is helping plan the January 2027 event alongside Managing Director of the Festival and Institute Operations Paula DuPré Pesmen, as she says crews work to upgrade the tech for nearly every venue.
"We're getting these venues ready for world premieres of films that have never been seen before," DuPré Pesmen said, "When you're in there, there's not going to be a bad seat. You're going to hear really high-quality sound and experiences."
Some of the upgrades include hundreds of new speakers or new screens across local theaters. Festival leaders say those improvements will remain in place beyond the few weeks of the festival.
As planning continues, organizers are also looking to the community for ideas on how the festival can best reflect Colorado and Boulder.
"It will be unique to the place. We have a history and a legacy established by our founder, Robert Redford," Hernandez said, "We have values that we hold on to, and that travel with us wherever we go.... We are inspired by the natural environment, the city itself, the university, and the amazing creative and artistic culture."
Sundance leaders say accessibility is another major focus for them as they plan the details of the festival.
"We want to make sure that this festival is accessible to everyone," DuPré Pesmen said. "The festival is for people from around the world, but also all over Colorado."
Organizers say Sundance is partnering with the city, the state, and RTD for shuttle routes throughout the festival footprint and to create learning opportunities for students.
Within Boulder, DuPré Pesmen says, "The buses will travel in both directions around the festival," adding, "We're looking at ways to engage students and make sure that it's accessible to youth."
When Sundance was held in Utah, the non-profit reports that a majority of attendees were local to the state. Organizers hope to see a similar level of local participation in Colorado.
Over the coming months, festival leaders plan to release more details about transportation, lodging, and programming ahead of the 2027 event. Passes and ticket packages will start to go on sale in October.
