In light of ongoing wildfires in Southern California, Sundance Film Festival will carry on as planned in Park City, Utah.
“Our community has a history of coming together when passion and perseverance are needed most, drawing strength from the deep bonds that make us so resilient,” CEO Amanda Kelso and festival director Eugene Hernandez wrote in a joint statement, per The Hollywood Reporter.
“Right now, we may mourn, but we also know it is important to carry on.”
As numerous wildfires continue to ravage Los Angeles County, several events in the entertainment industry have been canceled or postponed. The Critics Choice Awards, the BAFTA Tea Party, the Academy Award nominations, the Writers Guild Award nominations and other events have been called off or pushed back in wake of the fires, per Deadline.
The festival, which remains scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 23, through Sunday, Feb. 2, in Park City, “exists to discover artists, celebrate their work, and support storytelling that connects people through the power of film,” the statement from Hernandez and Kelso said.
“We know that coming together as a community can be both healing and catalytic.”
According to the statement, Sundance organizers are optimistic that coming together as a community and supporting artists will provide a sense of empowerment within the industry moving forward.
“Despite the challenges so many are confronting, we’re making our final preparations for this year’s Festival, as in times like these, our mission to support artists, uplift their work, and connect to communities is paramount,” said the statement from Hernandez and Kelso.
While the festival continues as expected, devastation remains in LA County. The National Weather Service put portions of LA County under a “particularly dangerous situation” warning through Wednesday morning as high winds with gusts up to 72 mph threaten rapid spreading of the fire, per the Los Angeles Times.
An independent sales executive and Sundance regular told Deadline, “The mood is very bad. L.A. is like a ghost town. There is sure to be a knock on impact on Sundance. Those whose houses were in the line of the fires aren’t going to Park City, I’m sure. Everything is on hold in terms of financing. There is paralysis.”
Sundance leaders Hernandez and Kelso said their “hearts are with everyone in our Sundance Institute community and with all affected by the unfolding tragedy,” and their “thoughts are with you in Southern California and beyond.”
“The losses we’re witnessing and so many are experiencing are hard to fathom and deeply emotional. Yet, as we continue planning for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival — just 10 days away — we’re moved by the resilience amidst the devastating loss."