A historic turning point
Running now through Feb. 1, this year’s festival is the last one for Park City before Sundance relocates to Boulder, Colo. in 2027, a shift announced by the Sundance Institute in 2025.
Founded by actor Robert Redford in 1978, Sundance is well known for being the largest independent film festival in the U.S. According to an article in the Colorado Sun, Redford gave his blessing for the festival to relocate prior to his death in September 2025.
“Boulder, Colorado, will be a new adventure,” Amy Redford, Redford’s daughter told The Associated Press. “It will feel like our beginnings when we were trying to figure things out, and that will have an important impact on what we do. But the way that we meet artists where they need to be, well, that evolves out of a heartbeat that is here.”
The films stealing this year’s show
More than 100 independent projects are screening across Park City, Salt Lake City and online, but a handful have risen above the noise. Here’s a rundown of the hottest films coming out of Sundance.
Festival standouts and crowd favorites
- “The Invite” – Directed by Olivia Wilde: A dinner party gone deliciously sideways, “The Invite” is sharp, tense, and darkly funny. Wilde’s confident direction and a stacked cast turn small moments into slow-burning fireworks, making this one of the most talked-about screenings of the festival.
- “Hot Water” – Directed by Ramzi Bashour: Quietly powerful and emotionally grounded, “Hot Water” follows a Lebanese-American mother and son on a journey shaped by displacement, memory and love. It’s intimate, moving, and the kind of film that lingers long after the credits roll.
- “Nuisance Bear” – Documentary: This visually striking documentary reframes how we see wildlife and our role in their survival. By focusing on polar bears labeled “nuisance” by humans, the film invites empathy, discomfort and reflection – a standout for anyone craving substance with their beauty.
Buzz-worthy indie and genre picks
- “I Want Your Sex” – Gregg Araki: Provocative and confrontational, this film dives into lust, power and generational tension with zero interest in playing it safe. Featuring Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman and Charli XCX, it’s the kind of movie people talk about long after leaving the theater.
- “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass” – David Wain: Playful and self-aware, this offbeat comedy leans into absurdity and Hollywood fantasy. It’s light, divisive and fun – the perfect palate cleanser between heavier screenings.
- “Wicker” – Starring Olivia Colman: Equal parts fairytale and social satire, “Wicker” is strange in the best way. Olivia Colman anchors a story about love, belonging and embracing the unconventional, delivering one of the festival’s most visually inventive and quietly heartfelt experiences.
Global voices and indie highlights
From tense thrillers to tender coming-of-age stories, Sundance 2026 continues to elevate global perspectives and boundary-blurring genres.
Films like “The Huntress,” “Chasing Summer,” “One in a Million,” and the queer social horror standout “Leviticus” remind audiences why Sundance still matters: it’s where new voices are heard, risks are rewarded and stories feel personal again.
Online: The 2026 Sundance Film Festival
Content Creator Brooke Bunch may be reached at brooke_bunch@yahoo.com.
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