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Loring is a Los Angeles-based writer, director, and creative producer. His work has been commissioned by a diverse range of clients- from Havas Worldwide to Wisecrack, inc.- and has been screened around the world. Through a background that blends project development with physical production across multiple formats, Loring has developed a uniquely eclectic skillset as a visual storyteller.
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The Sundance Film Festival needs no introduction. For nearly half a century, it has been the showcase for independent films and filmmakers in the U.S. The movies premiered and deals struck at Sundance kickstart the conversation, the culture, and the industry of cinema every single year.
From the looks of it, Sundance Film Festival 2025 will be no exception.
If you’re lucky enough to attend the upcoming fest, this post is for you. Below, we’ll take a look at what makes Sundance so special, outline key events from this year’s schedule, and show you how to get ready for the Sundance Film Festival 2025.
The Sundance Film Festival got its start back in 1978 as the Utah/US Film Festival, an event designed to both celebrate American independent films and encourage local filmmaking within the state of Utah. The name changed in 1984, when the famous Sundance Institute began organizing the fest. However, its mission remains the same.
Today, the Sundance Film Festival stands tall among the world’s finest celebrations of cinema. From shorts to features, Sundance regularly champions indie gems that will go on to become classics and provides a platform for emerging artists who the public will one day regard as masters of their craft.
As the Sundance Film Festival 2025 quickly approaches, the upcoming fest shows no signs of breaking tradition. The screenings, events, and casual conversations that take place at Sundance will impact the film industry over the next year and beyond.
Before we jump into a detailed overview of the event, let’s answer a few important questions.
The Sundance Film Festival has opened in January every year since 1981, making it one of the earliest major fests in the annual cycle. This year, Sundance Film Festival dates run from January 23 to February 2, 2025. Attendees can experience 11 jam-packed days of movies, conversations, and—of course—parties that they will never forget.
In-person tickets can be purchased at varying rates for all or just a portion of Sundance Film Festival dates and events. Further ticketing details are available below.
The Sundance Film Festival 2025 will once again be held in Park City, Utah. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, Park City is a major ski destination whose creature comforts make it the perfect hideaway for a festival. Park City has been virtually synonymous with Sundance since 1981.
However, that may soon change. The Sundance Institute recently announced that it reached the final phase in its marathon endeavor to determine a new, long-term host city for the Sundance Film Festival. The festival will shift to a new home starting in 2027.
They’re currently reviewing proposals from three finalist locations:
The Institute is expected to announce a final decision on the new Sundance Film Festival location in the first quarter of 2025.
The Sundance Film Festival provides filmmakers both a platform and an experience. Every day, the fest offers a variety of official events. Every night, the fest unofficially hosts meetings and parties with major film professionals from all around the world.
Here’s a small sample of the daily opportunities that attendees can expect:
Of course, the ultimate Sundance experience is to have your movie screened as part of the fest. Sundance Film Festival movies regularly launch careers and introduce fresh voices to their first wide audience. The fest is also an active marketplace, with major production and distribution companies attending in search of their next big projects.
The Sundance Film Festival attracts both industry luminaries and exciting new voices. Here are a few projects and filmmakers you might want to keep an eye on at this year’s fest.
Director Bill Condon (Gods and Monsters, Kinsey, Dreamgirls) will bring his reimagined Kiss of the Spider Woman to 2025 Sundance audiences. Previously a 1976 novel, a 1985 film, and a 1993 Tony-sweeping musical, Condon’s version of Kiss of the Spider Woman marries politically-charged drama with the lush extravagance of a classic Hollywood musical. The film stars Tonatiuh, Diego Luna, and Jennifer Lopez in a role rumored to be a scene-stealing career highlight.
Kiss of the Spider Woman is scheduled to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 26, 2025.
Director Albert Birney has made waves as a true independent filmmaker in recent years. His features Sylvio and Strawberry Mansion stand out with imaginative stories and a DIY, community-centric approach to production, while his endearing web series Tux and Fanny has earned a substantial cult following online. Birney’s next film, OBEX, promises to be another exciting ride through cinema’s most inventive and uncanny corners.
OBEX is scheduled to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2025.
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson first came to Sundance with his 2021 documentary Summer of Soul (... Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised). The Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award-winning film about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival eventually went on to win Best Documentary Feature at that year’s Oscars as well.
He returns for Sundance 2025 with another music-centric doc, this time about the American funk band Sly & The Family Stone, which left an indelible mark on a number of music genres, including R&B, rock, and soul.
SLY LIVES! (aka the Burden of Black Genius) is scheduled to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2025.
Sundance Film Festival submissions come from far and wide. Movies from first-time filmmakers stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those from seasoned veterans of the craft. The fest is a rare opportunity to experience projects from across the entire cinematic spectrum.
Below, we’ll provide just a small taste of what Sundance has on tap for this year’s attendees.
The Legend of Ochi is a family-friendly fantasy adventure set to be released by A24. Helmed by music video director Isaiah Saxon in his feature-film debut, The Legend of Ochi stars Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, Willem Dafoe, and Emily Watson. It promises to be a rare original film for audiences of all ages.
The Legend of Ochi will screen as a Sundance family matinee on January 26, 2025.
From GQ-style-columnist-turned-filmmaker Mark Anthony Green, Opus is a new and much-anticipated entry in A24’s growing library of pop-horror nightmares. The film stars an intriguing combination of Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich.
Opus is scheduled to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2025.
Rabbit Trap is the debut feature from writer and director Bryn Chainey. Starring Dev Patel and Rosy McEwen, the film follows a musician and her husband to a remote house in Wales, where “the music they make disturbs local ancient folk magic.”
Rabbit Trap is scheduled to premiere as part of the Sundance Midnight category on January 24, 2025.
Sundance Film Festival tickets are available for purchase in a variety of packages, empowering attendees to customize their experience and focus on what matters most to them. In general, Sundance ticket packages break down into two main categories: in-person and online.
In-person tickets may currently be acquired on an individual basis for $35 each.
The sale of Sundance ticket packages is has ended, but guests may purchase single film tickets from January 16, 2025 until the end of the fest.
Like their in-person counterparts, online tickets may currently be purchased on an individual basis for $35 each and will also be available from January 16, 2025 through the end of the festival.
All virtual screenings will be available on-demand for the duration of the festival.
The Sundance Film Festival 2025 is a can’t-miss event for indie filmmakers and cinephiles everywhere. Lock in your online or in-person tickets now for a festival experience that will help define the next year in movies.
If you’re a filmmaker entering the fest circuit, be sure to check out our guides for readying your festival submissions and mastering your film festival run.
