The Sundance Film Festival is the most important independent film festival in the United States and one of the most influential in the world, held every January in Park City. For ten days, the town transforms: Main Street fills with filmmakers, distributors, press, and celebrity-watchers; screenings happen in converted theatres, ski lodges, and pop-up venues; and the distribution deals made here shape the art-house film calendar for the coming year.
The festival screens around 120 films, chosen from several thousand submissions. Competition categories include American and international dramatic films, documentaries, and shorts. Premieres of high-profile films are the most sought-after tickets; the documentary and world cinema sections are where the most interesting discoveries tend to happen.
If you are visiting during Sundance, book accommodation at least three months in advance — the town sells out completely. Tickets for premieres are expensive and hard to get; rush lines for returned tickets are worth joining for popular screenings. Many short films and industry talks are free or low-cost.