The Sundance Film Festival is winding down in Park City and Salt Lake this weekend, and while there’s the usual amount of excitement, there’s also an unusual amount of tension. Festival organizers are mulling a possible move to either Boulder or Cincinnati in 2027, with a bid for a Park City/Salt Lake split still on the table. If Utah doesn’t land a contract extension, it will have been one of the last times the beloved festival graced the snowy slopes of the Wasatch mountains.
If Sundance moves to Boulder’s (less snowy and less slope-y) slopes, it’ll be a big change, but not the biggest. Film lovers, industry bigwigs and Insta influencers will still wear their matching furs as they shuffle around, freezing to death but looking great (or, at the very least, interesting). Mountain town locals in sensible down jackets will still watch on in horror and amusement. There will still be a scenic backdrop, plenty of Rocky Mountain photo ops and strong outdoorsy vibes. Apart from the significant decrease in next-door ski areas, mountain town charm and film history, the biggest difference would probably be the legal “creative inspiration.”
Cincinnati, on the other hand, is just the teeniest bit of a departure. Something about Sundance in the Midwest just doesn’t feel right. Sundance is all about purple mountain majesty. The fruited plains are great; they’re just not the right vibe. When the average person thinks “Sundance,” they think of snow gently falling on their favorite movie stars with a moonlit peak in the background. Not to downplay the Ohio River’s important role in the history of American trade, but it doesn’t have the same mystique.
To be clear, I’ve heard nothing but good things about the Queen City. It’s home to a vibrant arts scene, a rich cultural and economic history, and a rabid sports culture. But it shouldn’t be home to the Sundance Film Festival. That’s just wrong. In fact, imagining Cincinnati with Sundance is about as weird as imagining Park City with the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Park City Bengals. Move over Denver Broncos, the Mountain West has a new NFL team to cheer for! Every Sunday at Gorsuch Stadium (formerly City Park), the world’s best football players will duke it out in front of dozens of ski bums, housewives and old money real estate tycoons. The media network will reach all the way to Utah County and parts of Wyoming and, for opening day, the first 500 fans will receive a commemorative timeshare.
Doesn’t sound right, does it? Your first thought when you read it was probably something like, “Why?”, “How is that going to work?” or “Who in the world asked for that?”
That’s pretty much how locals and festivalgoers feel about Sundance heading to southwest Ohio. Some things just belong where they belong. The same way it feels silly to imagine defensive linemen celebrating a win at a slopeside chateau, it’s just as weird to picture Ethan Hawke toasting an indie premiere with Skyline Chili.
And sure, there are parts of the Sun-cinnati Film Festival that seem alright. Cincinnati is invested in its performing arts scene and enjoys a reputation as a surprisingly cool place to live and visit. An underrated mid-tier city that’s not as weird as people think? Salt Lakers have to respect that.
But there are parts of the PC Bengals that fit, too. Their starting quarterback, Joe Burrow, already dresses like a Park City divorcee, so he’d fit right in. The 7,000-foot elevation would put Denver’s Mile High Stadium to shame and give the Bengals a huge competitive advantage. Plus, the thematic move from “Bengals” to “Siberian Tigers” would be a lot easier than whatever the hell the Utah Not-Yetis are doing right now.
If you do enough mental gymnastics, any move can make sense. Boulder’s University of Colorado Buffaloes could also move to Park City, since it’s really, really close to the Colorado Plateau. Better yet, move them to Moab! Everyone loves the sight of a snowy football field; imagine one that’s partially in the Colorado River.
I’m sure Sundance would be fine in Cincinnati. But it’s great in Utah. And in a world where it seems harder and harder to create and keep great traditions, it’d be a shame to lose this one.
And I say all of this as a daily PC commuter. I understand the traffic and congestion problems that consume the town for two weeks each January. But as I crawl through traffic and see the snowy sign just off of Main Street showcasing its familiar “This Week: Sundance Film Festival,” it feels a bit like greeting an old friend. And sure, old friends move away sometimes. But it’s better when they don’t.
If Cincinnati gets Sundance, I’ll wish the city the best of luck. I have no doubt the town is going to embrace Sundance with open arms. After all, I’m sure all those Bengals fans will love actually having something to watch in late January.
(Photo courtesy of Brian Higgins) Brian Higgins
Brian Higgins is a writer and comedian in Salt Lake City.
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