How to Attend the Sundance Film Festival (2024)

By Benjamin Craig

One of the beauties of the Sundance Film Festival is that it's open to everyone. It doesn’t matter whether you are a studio boss or a film fan; you pretty much have the same chance of seeing films as anyone else. No compulsory registration or accreditation is required; if you want to see any films, access official venues, or attend festival events, all you have to do is purchase a festival pass, a ticket package, or an individual ticket.

Festival Passes

For those looking for simple access to screenings or who want to leave the task of choosing which films to see until later, a festival pass is for you. Festival passes allow you to casually stride into a screening or ticketed panel discussion while the masses huddle out in the cold, waiting to see if they can get a ticket. Well, it's almost that easy. In reality, to guarantee entry to an event, you must be at the venue at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time, probably earlier for highly anticipated screenings.

A range of festival passes are available each year, providing different levels of access to screenings. Top-of the line Express Passes allow you the most unfettered access, but they are very expensive. Cheaper options are available via the Off-Peak Pass and the Eccles Theatre Pass. With the exception of the Off-Peak Pass, most passes are valid either for the first or second half of the festival.

Ticket Packages

If you aren't up for festival pass, but are hoping to attend more than a handful of screenings, you should consider purchasing a ticket package. This will make your festival visit easier and save you money at the same time.

Ticket packages provide 10 tickets, for use during the package's validity period (first half of the festival or second). Special packages are also available for younger filmmakers (under 24) and if you only want to see short films.

Individual Tickets

Getting hold of a ticket for a specific screening or panel discussion is pretty straight forward. Once the box-office opens (usually the first week of January), you purchase tickets, either by calling the festival ticket line, visiting the official festival web site and buying online, or simply showing up in person at one of the official festival box-offices. That said, highly-anticipated films or events may already have sold out by this point as ticket package-holders will have already selected their screenings.

Failing an advanced ticket, you can also make use of the waitlist system on the day of the screening, which can sometimes allow you to get a ticket.

Film Industry Professionals

Sundance is an important event on the industry calendar, not only for sales agents and acquisitions executives, but also for a host of other people in the industry. Approximately 30% of attendees classify themselves as having some form of industry affiliation. Access to Sundance for industry professionals is available via an industry pass or ticket package. Numbers are limited and attendees must be able to prove their industry affiliation in order to qualify.

Press Accreditation

Sundance is a major media event on the film calendar and each year, the festival welcomes over 800 members of the national and international press corps. Press accreditation is managed by the Festival Press Office and is available to approved members of the print, audio-visual, and online press.

Volunteering

Can't afford a festival package or pass? Not interested in messing around with single tickets? Don't qualify as a member of the press? Never fear, you still have a chance of being able to attend the festival... by volunteering to help out. An event on the scale of the Sundance Film Festival as it is today requires the co-ordinated efforts of a huge number of people, far more than the festival budget could realistically cover. Sundance gets around this labour problem by offering eager beavers (you need to be fairly eager as some of the jobs involve standing outside in the cold and being nice to people for long periods of time) the chance to volunteer to help out.

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How to Attend the Sundance Film Festival (2024)

FAQs

Can anyone attend the Sundance Film Festival? ›

One of the beauties of the Sundance Film Festival is that it's open to everyone. It doesn't matter whether you are a studio boss or a film fan; you pretty much have the same chance of seeing films as anyone else.

How do you get into the Sundance Film Festival? ›

The first step is to complete the online submission form, then send a copy of your film to the address provided. The festival receives over 12,500 submissions for around 275 berths, so the chances of selection are quite slim.

Is Sundance hard to get into? ›

Zwicker quoted approximately 4,000 total submissions for feature films, and Barrera 9,000 for shorts. Of these, only 120 or so features make it in each year, and about 60-70 shorts. “Less than one percent,” notes Barrera.

Is it worth going to Sundance Film Festival? ›

VIsiting the Sundance Film Festival will be worth every penny for you to experience. That said, attendance and accommodations in the area over the Sundance Film Festival won't come cheap. So be sure to plan smart and ahead of time.

Is it hard to get into film festivals? ›

It's a hard thing to admit, but the ultimate goal isn't about getting into film festivals. It's about making great films — getting into film festivals is just a byproduct of great films. So, take a moment to ask yourself tough questions, get honest feedback, and decide if this truly is your moment.

How much does it cost to get into Sundance? ›

$25.00. Secure a seat at your must-see film. This offer includes one ticket to the feature film screening, Award-Winner screening, Short Film or Indie Episodic program of your choice through the duration of the Festival.

How does Sundance Film Festival work? ›

The Sundance Film Festival is the ultimate gathering of original storytellers and audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives. Our annual program includes dramatic and documentary features, short films, and episodic content. We also host daily filmmaker conversations, panel discussions, and other events.

Do Sundance winners get money? ›

Sloan Feature Film Prize, presented to an outstanding feature film about science or technology, was presented to After Yang. The filmmakers received a $20,000 cash award from Sundance Institute with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Does Sundance offer cash prizes? ›

GRAND PRIZE: One (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive their choice of (a) the display prize item, (b) the display prize item and cash (the ARV of display prize and cash awarded not to exceed $50,000), or (c) $50,000 cash.

How do you qualify for Sundance? ›

Only films retaining world premiere status are eligible for open submission to this category. Completed films that have been or will have been exhibited theatrically or otherwise made available to the general public, either for free or for purchase, prior to January 30, 2023 are not eligible to submit to this category.

Does Sundance accept rough cuts? ›

All titles shown at Sundance Film Festival must be finished, mixed release versions. We will not screen any rough cut with a temp mix.

How many submissions do film festivals get? ›

Submission fees can be a severe limitation on the number of films. Festivals with free entrance can receive up to three thousand movies or more. In this way, the index of accepted films ranges from 1 % to 10 % usually. Of course, there are exceptions.

Do film festivals attract tourists? ›

Results. The coefficient of Film was 267, which means for each film festival, on average, the hosting country can attract an additional 267 tourists in the short-run and 1,045 [i.e. 267/(1-0.7459)] tourists in the long-run.

What is the most prestigious film festival in the world? ›

The most prestigious film festivals in the world, known as the "Big Five", are (listed chronologically according to the date of foundation): Venice, Cannes, Berlin (the original Big Three), Toronto, and Sundance.

Are Sundance skiers only? ›

Sundance Mountain Resort

Mountain recreation includes skiing, snowboarding, night skiing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter and hiking, biking and horseback riding in summer and year-round world class fly-fishing on the Provo River.

How do I break into the film industry with no experience? ›

To get a job in the film industry with no experience, use this guide:
  1. Determine if film school is right for you. ...
  2. Go to film school and get a degree. ...
  3. Remember film production is not the only option. ...
  4. Get an internship at a film company or agency. ...
  5. Networking is essential. ...
  6. Volunteer yourself for film projects.
Nov 14, 2022

What are the odds of making it in the film industry? ›

You might be turned down for 20 roles before you land one, so perseverance – and a short memory – are important qualities. The Guardian: Only 2% of actors make a living. How Do You Become One of Them?

Is there a free trial of Sundance? ›

Try it free, cancel anytime. Sundance Now is your home for prestige drama, international thrillers, bone-chilling true crime, and more. New critically acclaimed originals, film favorites, and must-watch series added weekly.

Is Sundance now owned by AMC? ›

Sundance TV (formerly known as Sundance Channel) is an American pay television channel owned by AMC Networks that launched on February 1, 1996.

Is Sundance now free? ›

How Much Does Sundance Now cost? A Sundance Now subscription has two payment options after the free trial period expires: It will cost $6.99 per month for those who want to make monthly payments. If you choose to pay for the full year, you'll pay $59.99 or the equivalent of $4.99/month.

How many shorts are submitted to Sundance? ›

The dream of your film being the next Call Me By Your Name, Manchester by the Sea or The Usual Suspects (yes, all were Sundance world premieres) inspires more than 13,000 films (features and shorts) to be submitted for consideration each year at one of the world's largest and most prestigious indie film festivals.

How many people attend the Sundance Film Festival? ›

About 116,800 attendees filled 215,873 seats at events over the course of the festival. An estimated 62% of attendees were Utah residents (about 72,800 individuals) while 38% came from out-of-state (about 44,000 individuals).

Has a Sundance movie ever won Best Picture? ›

Tonight, we celebrate a win of historic proportions for Sundance! The road to the Academy Awards started at Sundance Film Festival 2021. For the first time in Festival and Institute history, two of our Grand Jury Prize–winning films took home Oscars including Best Picture (our first ever) and Best Documentary.

What's the highest prize they give to a film? ›

Academy Awards, popularly known as "Oscar" — the award of the American Academy of cinema — is the most famous and prestigious award in filmmaking industry, both domestic and international. The first award ceremony "Oscar" was held in 1929.

Who won at Sundance 2022? ›

Nanny and The Exiles have won the Sundance 2022 US grand jury prizes and Utama and All That Breathes corresponding world cinema honours while Navalny was voted the audience favourite as the festival announced winners on Friday (Jan 28).

Does Sundance sell out? ›

Most of the in-person ticket pass options are sold out — except for the $500 Salt Lake City Pass (good for any screening in a Salt Lake City venue) and the $3,500 Express Pass for the festival's second half. Go to festival.sundance.org/tickets for information. Individual tickets.

What is an S card at Sundance? ›

The S-Card. The only way to get discounted rates on ski/snowboard lift tickets at Sundance, without buying a season pass. Fri-Sat & holidays $99, mid-week $69. Save $50-$60 each time.

Does Sundance have a student discount? ›

All you need to do is register and verify your student status in order to get access to thousands of free student discounts. You can sign up here.

Does Sundance require a premiere for shorts? ›

Short films have no premiere requirements or prior screening restrictions that impact Festival eligibility and may have been screened at any number of festivals or other public theatrical exhibitions, broadcast or streamed on television or the Internet, and/or released via any home video or other public distribution ...

What happens if you win a film festival? ›

Some festivals offer up professional development as a 'reward' making you a 'fellow' or something like that — others might arrange further screenings on your behalf as part of a 'tour'. About 20 festivals (out of 5000) will qualify you to be NOMINATED for an Oscar if you WIN.

How should I dress for Sundance? ›

Expect colorful ski suits, funky furs, wide brim hats, fun pom beanies, and chic sweaters in cashmere and alpaca. Faux leather leggings are a great choice to wear for Sundance Film Festival après ski because they're essentially plastic, making them extremely warm while still looking fabulous and sleek.

What is the difference between a rough cut and final cut? ›

Simply put, a rough cut includes all the most important moments in your footage, arranged in the right order to tell the story. It doesn't include all the final touches, like special effects and sound effects, graphics, and music. That is all added in a final cut, which comes later in the editing process.

What is in a rough cut? ›

A rough cut is the first edited version of a film, usually without sound, music, or titles.

Do film festivals watch every submission? ›

Despite some reports to the contrary, the vast majority of legitimate film festivals watch your film in its entirety at least once (keep in mind Vimeo stats aren't fool-proof). “Each film is either watched by two members of our screening committee or by one of our lead programmers.

How much should I budget for festival submissions? ›

Festival submission fees

Even if you submit before the earliest deadline, you might be paying anywhere from $50 to $100 for a single film festival submission. The fees for short films are often less expensive than those for feature films, but regardless of category, the costs can quickly add up.

How hard is it to get a film grant? ›

The film grant evaluation process is grueling. Thousands apply and only a few receive those coveted grants. Film grant applications pass through many stages and multiple evaluators. Nothing about the film making process is easy, especially asking for money.

How old do you have to be to attend Sundance Film Festival? ›

Age limit.

You must be at least 18 years of age to purchase any package, pass or individual ticket.

How old do you have to be to enter the Sundance Film Festival? ›

If you are under the age of 18 and your project is accepted, we will require signed, written permission from your parent or legal guardian before we are able to exhibit your project at the Festival.

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