The future of the Sundance Film Festival has become politicized in one of the states attempting to lure the event.
In a move that spotlights the high level of interest elsewhere in a relocation of the festival from Park City, a U.S. Senate candidate in New Mexico in July drafted a letter to Sundance leaders in support of the Santa Fe bid. The New Mexico capital is one of six finalists for the festival.
Nella Domenici, a Republican, addressed her letter to Sundance founder Robert Redford and Amanda Kelso, who is the acting CEO of Sundance. The two-page correspondence was written on campaign letterhead and addresses the advancement of the economy and culture.
“As part of this visioning activity, I wanted to share that I see a unique and creatively rich opportunity in joining the forces of New Mexico’s emerging media community with the Sundance brand and festival,” she wrote.
“New Mexico showcases a broad range of scenic beauty and diverse landscapes for film settings and locations,” the letter continued. Santa Fe “has ideal venues for performance, presentation and exhibition ….”
The candidate wrote about “a growing reputation as a hub for the film and technology industries” and noted New Mexico has a “long history of hosting major film productions.”
“New Mexico’s tapestry of culture is also something that can provide an invaluable fresh perspective and context for a next generation of storytellers,” Domenici wrote.
She also discussed the role technology plays in the arts.
“We already have cutting edge supercomputing at our national laboratories, and we have a community of innovative companies exploring how technologies can be applied for a new generation of artistic-empowered experiences,” she wrote .
The incumbent Democrat in the contest in New Mexico, Sen. Martin Heinrich, also briefly addressed the Santa Fe bid for Sundance.
“Santa Fe is an authentic, vibrant, and world renowned artistic community. It would be the perfect place to host the @sundancefest, particularly with aligned commitments to inclusivity and sustainability. Very pleased to see Santa Fe selected as a finalist,” he said in a social media posting in July.
It is unlikely the future of Sundance will become a key issue in the Senate campaign in New Mexico, but the correspondence to festival organizers from Domenici and the posting by Heinrich show the attention the festival has garnered across political stripes.
Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat from Georgia, in June touted the bids of three cities in that state — Atlanta, Savannah and Athens — in a letter to Sundance.
Information has trickled out across the country in recent months as communities publicized their interest in becoming the film festival host. Sundance in July narrowed the field to six finalists:
- Park City and Salt Lake City in a combined bid
- Atlanta
- Boulder, Colorado
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Santa Fe
A Sundance contingent is visiting the finalist cities, but the organization on Thursday declined to provide details. It is not known whether the visit to Park City and Salt Lake City has occurred. Media coverage in Louisville indicated Sundance officials visited midweek, while coverage in Atlanta reported their Sundance visit occurred earlier in the week.
City Hall and Sundance have an agreement that covers festivals through 2026. The events in 2025 and 2026 are scheduled to be staged in the traditional manner. Any relocation of the festival, or a reimagining with Salt Lake City holding an expanded role, would begin with the event in 2027.
Sundance is the top marketplace of independent films in the United States and one of the elite festivals on the international circuit. It is also the most lucrative special event on the Park City calendar.