The Sundance Film Festival takes place every year in Park City, Utah, with additional screenings in Salt Lake City. The festival has been in Utah since it was founded in 1978, but it will be moving to Boulder, Colorado, next year. I had the chance to attend the final Sundance Film Festival in Utah along with members of the Quinnipiac Film Society. The festival took place from Jan. 22 to Feb. 1. I came into the 2026 festival relatively blind and came out having viewed 15 films in five days. I learned a great deal from my experiences and will share some key takeaways.
PREPARATION IS KEY
Transportation:
I flew through crowded Main Street, weaving through crowds of moviegoers, filmmakers, photographers, and shoppers alike in an attempt to catch the next bus to Eccles Theatre. I had little time to make it to the premiere of “The Disciple” due to my lack of planning. The festival is paced very quickly, and it could be challenging to keep up.
I would highly recommend familiarizing yourself with the public transit system in Boulder before you go. According to the city’s website, many of the theatres will be walkable.
Additionally, public transit will be available and free for the 2027 film festival. If you prefer private transportation, I would recommend apps like Lyft or Uber; however, keep in mind that rides may be delayed and/or expensive depending on where you are traveling to and what time you are doing so.
Tickets:
It’s important to decide what films you want to see at the festival and what ticket packages you want to purchase early on. The festival lineup is usually announced about a month before the festival. Ticket packages can go on sale up to three months before the festival (Reserving the right to choose tickets as soon as they come out).
If there is a film that you really have your eye on, then packages/passes are your best bet for securing tickets. They sell out fast and become increasingly harder to obtain as the festival comes closer. Packages are expensive, however, and you can purchase individual tickets for $35 instead. I did not have the chance to purchase any packages this year, as I didn’t know they would stop going on sale in late December.
When individual tickets first dropped on January 14, it was a struggle to get any screenings as everything sold out quickly. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to grab any. I later learned that additional tickets for sold-out showings gradually drop over time leading up to the screenings. They can drop at any time, even an hour before the showing, so keep an eye out at all times! A majority of sold-out showings opened up on Jan. 21 this year, just one day before the festival started.
Another way to purchase tickets is through third party sellers on r/Sundance on Reddit. Beware, however, as scammers flood the site. I successfully purchased and sold multiple tickets through the site. It’s effective as long as you follow the rules and check the buyer/seller’s history on the site before completing a transaction. New accounts with no prior comments on the subreddit could be scammers.
Organization:
The Sundance website and app have a built-in schedules feature that allows the user to organize films, whether you have tickets for them or not. It’s a great tool to work out any overlaps in screenings. I would recommend leaving at least two hours between screenings, depending on how far the next theatre is.
The rule of thumb is that you want to arrive at the screening around an hour before the start time to ensure that you make it into the initial queue, as unfortunately, purchasing a ticket does not guarantee a seat in the theatre. As long as you arrive early, there is nothing to worry about.
I also wouldn’t recommend seeing more than four films in one day, for the sake of your sanity, but if you are feeling up for the challenge, then go for it!
Other advice:
If it’s your first time attending the festival, I would recommend going with other people (especially people who have gone before). This could make things significantly easier, plus it’s always better to watch great films with friends!
Keep an eye out for celebrities! Although the festival is for independent films, many famous actors/writers/directors work on them. You can check under the film’s credits or online. This year I met celebrities like Elijah Wood, Taika Waititi, Blake Harrison, and more! It is also a great opportunity to network, as many of the people who worked on the film will be in the crowd (especially for premieres).
The festival was amazing, and I would HIGHLY recommend going if you’re interested! Just make sure to bring some warm clothes. If you have any questions or comments, I encourage you to leave a comment down below or reach out to me on Instagram @anthonyciuffo_broadcasting.
