MINNEAPOLIS — Local leaders and the Minnesota film community want to roll out the red carpet for the Sundance Film Festival.
Earlier this month, the festival of more than 40 years announced it was beginning a “process to explore viable locations in the United States to host the Sundance Film Festival beginning in 2027.” The invitation – announced in a press release – immediately attracted the attention of leaders and filmmakers in Minneapolis and beyond.
“It’s a great opportunity. I mean it’s a fantastic event,” said Andrew Ballard, the Minneapolis Enterprise Events Manger.
Ballard brought the idea before the Minneapolis City Council on Tuesday; the council will vote on moving the process forward on Thursday. Sundance has requested that bidding communities submit a Request for Information (RFI) by May 1. Should the festival move forward, they’ll then ask bidding parties to submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) by May 7.
Ballard believes the festival would represent a win-win for both the Twin Cities and Sundance.
“We have great theaters here, great activities, great winter activities, great restaurants. It’s a great city for folks to come visit,” he said, adding that the event would also shine a light on the local film community.
“A rising tide raises all boats. It’s not going to overshadow anything. It will put a brighter spotlight on the city,” he said.
Andrew Peterson, Executive Director of FilmNorth, agrees.
“On top of that, just the economic impact. It is nearly $200 million and over three thousand jobs,” Peterson said, referencing a recent report about the festival’s economic impact.
According to the report, the Sundance Film Festival contributed the following to Utah’s economy in 2023: $118.3 million in gross domestic product; 1,608 jobs; $63 million in wages and $12.8 million in state and local tax revenue.
‘Glass Half Full’
At The Main Cinema in Minneapolis this week, the main attraction is the 43rd annual Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF).
“[It’s] one of the longest running film festivals in the country,” said Susan Smoluchowski. Executive Director of the MSP Film Society – parent organization of MSPIFF and the Main Cinema.
“People have come back in full force, and the audience has been great, and the films have been great,” added Craig Rice, Senior Programmer of MSPIFF and The Main Cinema.
Both Rice and Smoluchowski say the opportunity to bring Sundance to the Twin Cities holds promise, given it’s a larger festival – with more than 17,000 films this year – and serves as a marketplace for the movie industry. But the local film supporters note Minnesota is making its own mark on the industry, with MSPIFF alone featuring nearly 300 films from 100 different cultural backgrounds.
“There are many regional festivals like ours that are about the filmmakers and about the audiences and about exposing the local film ecosystem to great films by great storytellers from around the globe,” Smoluchowski said.
Ultimately, Smoluchowski and Rice believe Sundance could indeed bring a brighter spotlight to the local film community. They just want to preserve their ability to help guide the light and the potential opportunities it could bring.
“There’s no reason why this kind of a move couldn’t do us all further good as long as we manage It the way we all would want to,” Smoluchowski said.
To check out the MSPIFF – which runs through Friday of this week – and how you can see one of the featured films, just click here.
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