Cincinnati has a foothold in the film industry Cincinnati is a hidden gem in many ways, but we’re also no stranger to the limelight. Thanks to Film Cincinnati, Cincinnati has really become a premier spot for shooting movies, especially within the last 15 years. We’ve hosted Oscar winners like Rain Man and Traffic and stars like Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo and hometown boy George Clooney. These opportunities, big and small, have provided work for local actors and brought an economic impact of $258 million and nearly 2,000 jobs between 2019 and 2022. There are also organizations here that host their own film festivals, like the Cindependent Film Festival and the Over-the-Rhine Film Festival. We’ve been preparing for something like Sundance for a long time, and we’re ready. Photo: Bryan Houston

Cincinnati could be seeing stars after it was named one of three finalists to host future Sundance Film Festivals.

On Thursday, the nonprofit Sundance Institute announced the final phase of its Request for Proposal (RFP) process to host the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027. Cincinnati, as well as Salt Lake City/Park City, Utah, and Boulder, Colorado, were chosen to move forward in this process. The winner will be announced sometime in early 2025, after the 2025 Sundance Film Festival has concluded.

In July, Cincinnati, Boulder and Salt Lake City/ParkCity were named among six finalists to host the festival, alongside Atlanta, Georgia; Louisville, Kentucky; and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The city selected will host the festival in 2027 and subsequent years.

The Sundance Institute says as part of a thorough evaluation of each potential location, it looked at each finalist city’s infrastructure, ethos and equity values, event capabilities and how each finalist could “sustainably serve and support the ever-growing Sundance Film Festival community of independent artists and audiences.” Each finalist also had to demonstrate how it would welcome and foster the community and culture of the festival.

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“As we move to the next phase in our search for a sustainable home for the Sundance Film Festival, we see great promise and potential in Boulder, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake/Park City. Each has shown us the blend of exciting possibilities, values and logistics needed to produce a vibrant, inviting and inclusive festival. We’re excited for a future Sundance that can discover, support, and inspire artists and audiences for the next forty years,” Eugene Hernandez, festival director and head of public programming, said in a press release.

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“We are ecstatic to continue being considered as the next host city for the Sundance Film Festival. As long-time attendees, we believe Cincinnati’s dedication to the arts, hospitality, and historic theaters make it a great fit. We are inspired by the idea of partnering with the Sundance Institute to celebrate the festival’s rich legacy while introducing a dynamic, walkable and accessible new venue. Cincinnati’s blend of creativity, culture, and community promises to be an unforgettable experience for both filmmakers and audiences,” Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and Film Cincinnati President and CEO Kristen Schlotman said in a joint statement.

Park City, Utah, will host the 2025 and 2026 festivals.

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This article appears in Sep 4-17, 2024.

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she...