By John Di Rienzo
September 10, 2015
Sundance Film Festival History
The Sundance Film Festival, connected and supported by actor Robert Redford since its founding in 1978, has become America’s leading festival for independent film. The website indiewire.com ranks Sundance as the second most important film festival in the world for indepedent film makers after Cannes in Fance!
Interestingly, the Festival started out in 1978 as a way to promote Utah to filmmakers, as the Utah/US Film Festival. The name was changed to Sundance, after Robert Redford’s character The Sundance Kid in the now famous film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, in which he played opposite the great Paul Newman.
The Festival takes place every year in Utah, in Park City primarily, and other locations around the state. Sundance has a rich history of showcasing award-winning films over the years, many of which have gone to become classics. You are bound to see up-and-commers and established directors alike.
NEW 2016: First Come, First-Served Based Ticket Sales
This year, Sundance will no longer offer tickets via a lottery-type system, and will instead offer them for sale directly.
The festival will take place from January 21st – 31st this year. Festival packages will go on sale at noon Mountain Time, on October 14th. For individual tickets, you will need to wait until January 19th, unless you are a Utah resident, in which case you can purchase starting on January 15th.
You can visit their website for more information: www.sundance.org.
Renting a Park City Home or Condo During Sundance
Not surprisingly, condos, ski homes and hotels are in high demand during the Sundance Film Festival period in Park City.
Not only are people drawn to this major film event, but the event takes place mid-winter, during the peak snow and ski season.
If you want to travel to Park City during this time to either attend the Festival or ski, you need to plan ahead, as groups related to the festival tend to book up homes far in advance.
You will certainly be rubbing shoulders with Hollywood elite, but you’ll also have to compete with them for housing!
PREMIUM RATES
Also, this is perhaps the priciest time of year to visit Park City. Expect rates to be at a premium and minimum stay requirements to be in place that cover the festival period. You will most likely be required to pay a security deposit up front, rather than simply providing a credit card at check-in.
Understandably, managers of the homes and condos in Park City will do everything they can to ensure that they do not end up with empty rooms during this high-demand time period.
If you do decide to go during Sundance, you’re sure to enjoy a bit of Hollywood in the mountains. Directors, actors and paparazzi make for a festive and glamourous scene, not to mention the awesome panel discussions that take place around screenings.
For film lovers, who also love to ski, Sundance is the best of both worlds. Now all you need to do is check out Exotic Estates’ Park City condos and homes and reserve yours before someone else does!
