Sundance Is Going Virtual

The show will go on!

We’ve missed out on a lot this year, but The Sundance Film Festival has found a way to continue on in the face of a pandemic. They’re going virtual, almost entirely. The hybrid festival will show films online, as well as in local theaters across the country.

Screenings will take place at drive-in theaters, independent arthouse cinemas and cultural organizations all over, instead of just in the classic Eccles Theater. But, as per usual, each film will have a dedicated time slot and be followed by exclusive content like panels and local artist meet-ups.

Two days after each of the 70+ films’ premieres, they will be offered online, on-demand for 24 hours. Starting on Jan. 28 at 6 p.m. mountain time, a new film will be shown about every three hours, between 10am and 10pm in the following days. The Short Film and Indie Series, which includes short films and episodic works, will be on demand for the entirety of the festival. The lineup for the entire circuit is expected to be announced mid-December.

“The core of our Festival in the form of an online platform and socially distanced cinematic experiences is responsive to the pandemic and gives us the opportunity to reach new audiences, safely, where they are,” Tabitha Jackson, festival director, told Variety. “And thanks to a constellation of independent cinema communities across the U.S. we are not putting on our Festival alone. At the heart of all this is a belief in the power of coming together, and the desire to preserve what makes a festival unique — a collaborative spirit, a collective energy, and a celebration of the art, artists, and ideas that leave us changed.”

Sundance is also adding The New Frontier Program, which showcases work that weaves technology into the viewing experience and craftsmanship. 14 projects will be shown this year, allowing for audience members to interact with the projects through a virtual reality program. All the pieces will be available through the festival’s online platforms.

Find more information about the upcoming events here.

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