Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, things are going to look a little different for the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Why am I giving thanks to COVID-19 for altering the festival?
Because the good news is, the popular film fest is still happening. The even better news is you don’t have to travel to Utah to partake in it!
Which I know is also bad news for many because Utah is a great place to visit anytime, and in January during the film fest it’s a winter paradise. Then there’s the energetic buzz of having filmmakers, actors, writers, directors and cinephiles gathered all in one place.
However, the Sundance Institute created a way for the 2021 Sundance Film Festival to take place digitally from January 28-February 3, 2021 via a feature-rich, Sundance-built online platform. Additionally, there are in-person screenings via Satellite Screens across the country (public health regulations permitting).
Let’s take a look at everything they’re offering and how to participate.
The 2021 Sundance Film Festival platform
There will be the traditional Sundance Film Fest fare of feature films, documentaries, short films and more from the U.S. and worldwide.
The online Festival Village also offers ways to connect with other fest-goers. For instance, you’ll find free experiences and events from sponsors on Main Street, and there are talks, events, Q&As and more in the Artist Lounge.
Everything can be accessed from the Sundance Film Festival’s official website.
The 2021 Sundance Film Festival satellite screens
Here are the cities and their theaters that will also screen this year’s Sundance Film Festival movies. (Listed alphabetically by state.)
Alabama
Birmingham with Sidewalk Film Festival at the Sidewalk Film Center, Sidewalk Drive-In
Arizona
Tucson with The Loft Cinema at The Loft Open Air Cinema
California
Montclair with American Cinematheque at Mission Tiki Drive-In
Pasadena with the Rose Bowl Stadium at Rose Bowl Drive-In
San Francisco with The Roxie Theater at The Roxie Theater and Fort Mason Drive-In
Colorado
Denver with Denver Film at the Sie FilmCenter
Florida
Key West with Tropic Cinema at the Tropic Cinema, The Key West Lighthouse, The Truman Little White House and The Ernest Hemingway House and Museum
Miami with Third Horizon and O Cinema at New World Symphony SoundScape Park and South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center
Georgia
Atlanta with Atlanta Film Society at The Plaza Theater, Plaza Drive-In, Dad’s Garage Drive-In
Macon with Macon Film Festival at Douglass Theatre
Hawaii
Honolulu with Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA)
Iowa
Iowa City with FilmScene at FilmScene at The Chauncey
Kansas
Wichita with mama.film at mama.film microcinema, Wichita Art Museum and Groover Labs
Kentucky
Louisville with The Speed Art Museum at Speed Art Museum
Louisiana
New Orleans with New Orleans Film Society at The Broad Theater
Maryland
Baltimore with Maryland Film Festival at Stavros Niarchos Foundation Parkway Theater
Massachusetts
Brookline with Coolidge Corner Theatre at Coolidge Corner Theatre
Michigan
Detroit with Cinema Detroit
Minnesota
Minneapolis-St. Paul with FilmNorth at Riverview Theater
New York
Pleasantville with Jacob Burns Film Center at Jacob Burns Film Center & Media Arts Lab
Ohio
Columbus with Gateway Film Center at Gateway Film Center
Oklahoma
Tulsa with Circle Cinema at Circle Cinema, Circle Cinema Drive-In, Admiral Twin Drive-In, Philbrook Museum, OSU-Tulsa, Tulsa University and Gilcrease Museum
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia with BlackStar Film Festival
Puerto Rico
San Juan with Asociación de Documentalistas de Puerto Rico (AdocPR) at Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (MAPR)
South Carolina
Columbia with The Luminal Theater at Spotlight Cinemas Capitol 8
Tennessee
Memphis with Indie Memphis at Malco Summer Drive-In
Nashville with Belcourt Theatre at Belcourt Theatre
Texas
Austin with Austin Film Society at AFS Cinema
Dallas with Aviation Cinemas at Texas Theatre
Houston with Houston Cinema Arts Society at MoonStruck Drive-In and DeLUXE Theater
Utah
Park City at The Ray
Salt Lake City with Salt Lake Film Society
Washington
Seattle with Northwest Film Forum
The 2021 Sundance Film Festival movies and screening times
To see which movies are airing when, click the “Select a Screening” link next to the Single Film Ticket option on the Tickets page. A screen will pop up that shows all of the movies and their times from January 28 through February 3. Select which showing that you want and add it to your cart.
To see a full list of all the movies and their descriptions, check out the full program announcement on the Sundance Institute’s blog.
The 2021 Sundance Film Festival tickets and passes
Single film tickets are available for $15 each.
An Explorer Pass allows you to “discover innovative immersive experiences and experimental visions in a less-traditional format.” This means you can access the Indie Series, New Frontier, and Shorts programs all on demand, all the time. The pass is $25.
Have you ever been to the Sundance Film Fest? If not, 2021 may be a great way to experience it!