The Sundance Festival is moving from Utah to…well, somewhere.
And Minneapolis wants in:
In a provided statement, Mayor Jacob Frey says Minneapolis’ cultural scene would be a perfect fit for the festival.
“With our thriving arts and entertainment scene, diverse cultural heritage, and passionate film community, Minneapolis is the ideal backdrop for the Sundance Film Festival,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “There is no city that embraces the arts quite like we do – and Minneapolis already has a long history of supporting independent filmmakers and their art of storytelling. Sundance would be a welcome addition to our theater community, and we’re excited to throw our hat in the ring to host this world-renowned festival.”
Minneapolis’ bid is being backed by CEOs from Target, Best Buy, and U.S. Bancorp along with the McKnight Foundation and Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.
There was a time this would have been a no-brainer. From the 60s to the 2000s, Minneapolis had one of the most dynamic arts scenes in the country; the biggest regional theatre community between the coasts; art and music communities that punched waay above their weight; others, from dance to literature far out of proportion to the city’s size; even a breakout film scene in the ’90s.
Almost none of that is true anymore. Austin, Salt Lake City, Boulder, Santa Fe, Raleigh/Durham, Boise, Nashville, even Atlanta have become much more dynamic. Most of them are much less expensive (not that that’s necessarily a huge factor for the tony Sundance crowd).
Minneapolis is like the high school football star come back to the 20 year reunion, working a job he hates and paying bills from his divorce from the head cheerleader. His day has passed. He might have another day, someday, but it ain’t today.
I hope the city gets it – but I’d be amazed.
I can get a free steak dinner if I listen to a pitch about medicare
I can get a free weekend vacation getaway if I listen to a pitch about buying a time-share
I get those goodies whether I buy or not. I simply have to spend the time, listen and nod.
Imagine what goodies the promoters of the film festival are getting from all of the cities they visit.
Goodies paid for by charging me higher prices at Target and Best Buy, and paying me lower interest on savings at US Bank.
I don’t mind because I’m happy to pay for a shot at a better Minnesota. Aren’t you?
I read something that wasn’t written by Twin Cities cheerleader press and at best, it sounded like the move is contemplated for 2027. It also smelled like a negotiating ploy.
If, however, there was anything to this, you’d think those sick *ucks that ruined the Cities would first stop trying to turn the place into Chicago.
“According to Deadline, Sundance has struggled with declining attendance and sponsors in recent years in Park City.”
That’s rather shocking to me. Thanks to Park City and Deer Valley ski resorts, Park City UT should be overflowing with millionaires. Lord knows there’s nothing but 7 and 8 figure real estate there.
Come to Dinkytown! Come to the North Loop!
Bill C, perhaps you’ve hit on the problem. Wasn’t Sundance a pretty ritzy and exclusive film festival when it started with lots of celebrities and such? Maybe there’s too many hoi-polloi slumming up the place now.
Can the festival be revived? And should it?
The thing that strikes me is that the initial premiss was that people were going to go to a ski resort and pay ski resort hotel and other costs in the mountain to….sit inside and watch movies. There is a disconnect there, and it’s one that got worse as people became aware that NIH-funded superbugs might form a superspreader event in that same theater.
Not that big of an event, either. In 2023, 86000 people attended one or more days, but only 138000 tickets were sold and used, indicating that the average person attended only a couple of days. That means the impact is about the same as a Timber-puppies game. Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but we’re not talking anything that would revitalize downtown or anything, especially if you’re asking people to come there in January.
Pingback: In The Mailbox: 07.09.24 : The Other McCain