Sundance Film Festival : Then and Now

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The Sundance Film Festival has become one of the most prestigious independent film festivals in the world. What started in the mountains of Utah over 40 years ago has grown into a marquee annual event that draws the biggest names in the entertainment industry and launches fresh new talent every year. Though Sundance today hosts stars like Jennifer Lawrence, Quentin Tarantino, and Daniel Radcliffe, its beginnings were far more humble. Origins of the Utah/US Film Festival Back in the early 1960s, Utah was not considered any sort of hub for filmmaking or the arts. There were few opportunities for filmmakers to screen independent and avant-garde cinema outside of makeshift screenings in basement theaters or on college campuses. Sterling Van Wagenen, a young filmmaker and co-founder of the Utah Film Commission, sought to change that by organizing an annual statewide festival to celebrate film as an art form. Van Wagenen enlisted the help of friends like John Earle and Cirina Hampton Catania to form a committee to get government sponsorship for hosting a competitive film festival in Salt Lake City in the late summer of 1969. They named it the “Utah Cinematic Arts Festival” with categories for documentary films and dramatic features. Though the first year saw setbacks due to delays in finalizing judging procedures, this small group of volunteers succeeded in screening 26 non-commercial films at the festival's first home of Salt Lake City's LDS Memorial Theatre in August 1969. An eclectic mix of experimental shorts, animated films, and dramatic features were shown that year, but due to the last-minute disorganization, no actual jury prizes were awarded. About 2,200 people attended the four days of screenings spread over six different theatrical and college venues. Highlights included "Motorcyclette," "The Nurse," and "Old Zabriskie." Though it had its hiccups, the inaugural Utah festival accomplished Van Wagenen’s goal of celebrating film art through exhibitions that would be inaccessible to rural audiences if not for this showcase. The seeds were planted for it to become an annual August tradition highlighting independent films. Expansion Under Redford Due in part to clashes between the organizational committee and government officials expecting more say over operations, the Utah Cinematic Arts Festival ran up deficits of up to $18,000 in its first few years as the small team struggled to fund operations themselves. The 1970s saw leadership changes amidst growing skepticism that the festival could be more than a local attraction. In 1979, moves were underway to dissolve the festival when new support arrived from an unlikely source - Hollywood star Robert Redford. A Utah resident and independent film devotee himself, Redford rode in offering to take stewardship and use his industry clout to elevate the small festival's profile. Accepting Van Wagenen’s proposal, the actor had conditions like enhancing the focus to exclusively celebrate independent features and shorts. After consulting with colleagues about renaming the event, Redford settled on adopting the moniker “U.S. Film Festival” starting in 1980. With Redford's clout, big name guests and studios agreed to cooperate instead of viewing Sundance as a distraction. More competitive divisions like International Films were added and attendance nearly doubled by 1982. Further rising prestige and Hollywood interest led Redford and his National Endowment for the Arts advisors to push for Park City, UT as a more ideal setting vs Salt Lake City venues. 1986 saw the first Park City hosting of the now Robert Redford’s U.S. Film Festival at locations like the Egyptian Theatre on Main Street. Though still trailing other U.S. festivals in prominence, Redford upgraded exhibition and judge accommodations to entice more submissions. Acceptance as an elite festival grew after 1988 when Steven Soderbergh’s sex, lies, and vide

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