Sundance's Final Utah Act

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival, apparently the last we’ll endure here before the Colorado shift, promises a familiar, if somewhat fatigued, spectacle. The activation of the Doubletree Hotel as a theater is a predictable concession, a pragmatic nod to capacity. One notes with a weary sigh the complete absence of screenings at The Egyptian Theatre; a shame, naturally, but understandable given the current infrastructural disinterest. It’s less about cinema and more about the curated appearance of cinema these days. The Eccles Center’s full two-week engagement feels… generous. One hopes the programming merits the space. The continued pedestrianization of Main Street, while visually arresting in the step-and-repeat red and gala black of opening night, remains a logistical burden, a constant test of one's driver's resolve. Acura, Hulu (with a ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ activation – quaint), and Chase Sapphire predictably secure their territorial claims along Main Street. The Park City Institute will, of course, preside over it all with a practiced calm. To secure access, one must preemptively arrange for vehicular bypasses or, ideally, a helicopter. A truly tiresome arrangement. The Council's attempt to “activate” the entirety of Main Street feels like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. One trusts the buses from Richardson Flat are sufficiently discreet. It’s all becoming… predictable.