Slamdance is pulling up stakes in snowy Utah and heading for sunny California.
After 30 years, the indie-oriented Slamdance Film Festival is quitting its traditional Park City locale, where it has played in tandem with the Sundance Film Festival. Sundance is also in the process of contemplating a move of its own.
As a result of the move, Slamdance will open its 2025 fest in Los Angeles from February 20-26, officially sponsored by Panasonic LUMIX, with films to be screened at various venues in and around Hollywood, including the Landmark Theatres, the DGA Theater Complex, and Joe and Anthony Russo’s AGBO. In-person passes will be offered from $50 and up, with many programs free to the general public.
Peter Baxter, who cofounded Slamdance in 1995 and serves as its president, stated that the move was designed to make the festival more financially accessible to the filmmakers it serves: “There have always been opportunities that we’ve created for filmmakers in Park City, but L.A. is a place where there are actually greater opportunities for Slamdance to grow. We’ve been trying very hard to make our festival accessible and inclusive, and that also has to do with socioeconomics. A lot of audience members find going to film festivals quite expensive, and for filmmakers themselves, going to Park City is also a considerable expense.”
“We felt that there was space for us in the Los Angeles melting pot to really contribute and to continue the mission of what Slamdance is all about — discovering filmmakers,” Baxter added.
Responding to the news, Joe and Anthony Russo issued a statement that read in part: “Our journey in the film industry began at Slamdance, and our commitment to the festival and the opportunities it offers filmmakers has remained unwavering, Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of collaborating with numerous filmmakers through our fellowship program and various initiatives at our studio. We look forward to witnessing the continued growth and impact of Slamdance in its new home.”
Over the years, Slamdance has highlighted the works of many fledgling independent filmmakers, including Gina Prince-Bythewood, Lena Dunham, Marc Forster, Merawi Gerami, Bong Joon Ho, Rian Johnson, Christopher Nolan, the Russo brothers, and the Safdie brothers.
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