Utah’s governor licked his wounds and moved on shortly from the information that the Sundance Movie Pageant is leaving the state for Boulder, Colorado in 2027.
Simply hours after the Robert Redford based Park Metropolis-based shindig revealed it’s pulling up stakes and heading to the close by Blue States after subsequent 12 months, Gov. Spencer Cox says plans are being drawn as much as create a brand new movie pageant in Utah — and he’s going to make use of Sundance allotted money to kick begin it.
“I will even embrace on a particular session name that we should always take away a $3.5 million appropriation that had been allotted for the Sundance Movie Pageant,” the Republican wrote in a letter to lawmakers on Thursday night time after an 11th hour invoice signing and never signing dash. “Let’s reappropriate that cash to efforts in Utah to create a brand new pageant and a world-class movie financial system proper right here in our state.”
Utah Gov Spencer Cox attends the 2023 Sundance Movie Pageant Going Varsity in Mariachi Premiere (Photograph by Michael Loccisano/Getty Photos)
In a last-ditch effort to maintain Sundance in Utah, with Salt Lake Metropolis changing into the hub, Gov. Cox supplied $3 million in state funds. The GOP supermajority within the legislature upped that to $3.5 million, with round $12 million extra in in-kind incentives and thousands and thousands extra from what was referred to as “non-public entities.”
Nonetheless, with Boulder placing $34 million in incentives on the desk over the following decade and way more on the desk, Utah simply didn’t maintain the playing cards. On March 27, virtually a 12 months after saying they might take pitches for an new house. Sundance brass made it official what Deadline had been reporting for months. After over 40 years in Utah, the indie cinema hootenanny had inked a 10-year contract with the Beehive State’s next-door neighbor in hopes of renewal and evolution.
A direct participant within the UnitedUtah bid and a giant Sundance booster over time, Cox referred to as the transfer a “mistake. ” The governor made little effort to cover his dismay as soon as the announcement turned public, nor his need to fill the massive display void ASAP.
“Within the meantime, we’ll hold doing what we’ve at all times completed: supporting filmmakers and constructing a world-class movie financial system proper right here in Utah,” Cox wrote on X. “Now we have already begun assembly with companions, stakeholders, and inventive voices to create a brand new pageant — one which honors our legacy and writes the following chapter of unbiased movie in Utah.”
At this very early stage, no particulars of how, when and the place the brand new pageant will come to fruition had been offered.
Although Sundance Institute board chair Ebs Burnough stated in any other case on Thursday, the actual fact is politics within the divisive Trump 2.0 period at all times was going to play a job in Sundance’s future in Utah.
“Sadly, a latest invoice handed by the Utah legislature and feedback made by some legislators haven’t been useful in our bid to maintain the pageant right here,” retiring Park Metropolis Mayor Nann Worel actually stated of the overtly discriminating anti-Delight flag measure in her March 25 State of the Metropolis speech. Particularly focusing on banning LGBTQ+ flags and banners on public buildings and colleges, Home Invoice 77’s sponsors Rep. Trevor Lee and Sen. Dan McCay (who earlier this month stated Sundance makes “porn” and “doesn’t slot in Utah anymore” whereas reposting a Deadline story) insisted the invoice was all about politically neutrality – although a one level the measure would have allowed Swastikas and Accomplice flags to fly.
Scheduled to start out on Could 7, months earlier than the final Park Metropolis-based Sundance subsequent January, H.B.77 comprises a provision for there to be a $500 fantastic each day for each Delight flag flying from and in state funded buildings.
With SLC’s progressive mayor, the ACLU and Equality Utah opposing H.B.77, Cox by no means stated both manner if he would signal the invoice. A number of sources inform me that the governor’s ambiguity was in no small half within the hope of protecting Sundance, with its ethos of inclusion, in state. As that want dissipated as soon as the choice to maneuver to Boulder turned official and Cox confronted a March 27 deadline to signal or veto payments, the governor determined to do neither.
In Utah, a invoice can turn out to be regulation if the governor doesn’t signal it or reject it.
“H.B. 77 has been one of the crucial divisive payments of the session, and I’m deeply dissatisfied that it didn’t land in a greater place,” Gov. Cox wrote final night time detailed quite a lot of logistical shortcomings of the sadly first within the nation enacted laws and the bounds of his personal energy. “My understanding is that there was a deal on a compromise that might have eliminated problematic parts of the invoice whereas retaining others that might assist political neutrality within the classroom. Sadly the sponsors didn’t transfer that deal ahead. I proceed to have severe considerations with this invoice. Nevertheless, as a result of a veto can be overridden, I’ve determined to permit the invoice to enter regulation with out my signature, and urge lawmakers to think about commonsense options that tackle the invoice’s quite a few flaws.”
Cox added: “There are such a lot of examples of the LGBTQ group and the conservative group coming collectively to search out useful and hopeful compromise. I hope we are able to retain this as our mannequin and North Star.
To our LGBTQ group, I do know that latest laws has been tough. Politics could be a little bit of a blood sport at instances and I do know we’ve had our disagreements. I need you to know that I really like and respect you and I’m grateful that you’re a part of our state. I do know these phrases could ring hole to lots of you, however please know that I imply them sincerely.”
Banned flags, new festivals and all, the final Sundance in Utah for at the very least a decade runs from January 22 – February 1, 2026.
