Welp, the Omicron variant has struck again, folks. According to reports, the Sundance Film Festival 2022 will cancel its in-person program in favor of an all-virtual presentation. This marks the second year in a row that the 40-year-old festival has been forced to move to an all-virtual platform.
“The Festival’s in-person Utah elements will be moving online this year,” read a statement from Sundance today.
This news should surprise no one seeing as the entertainment industry has been canceling events left and right ever since the Omicron variant started wreaking havoc on people’s immune systems. Porting the show to a virtual platform was always Plan B for the annual festival. Additionally, there had been whispers of sponsors pulling out of the live show out of concern that their products would not get proper exposure. We’ve also heard that celebrity reps were canceling trips to Sundance for their clients, saying that it was not worth risking their health for the sake of the show. This was a smart move given that Sundance draws an estimated 116K attendees from around the world each year. According to recent stats as of Jan. 3, there were 14,7K newly reported Covid-19 cases in Utah, and 17 related Covid deaths.
This sucks for local Park City businesses, hotels, and restaurants, who stand to make a lot of money while catering to Sundance’s lavish guest list and foot traffic. To put things into perspective, the 2020 Sundance Film Festival banked a reported $135 million for the state of Utah, created over 2.7K jobs, and totaled $17.8K in state and local tax income.
“Despite the most ambitious protocols, the Omicron variant with its unexpectedly high transmissibility rates is pushing the limits of health safety, travel, and other infrastructures across the country,” reads today’s Sundance statement.
“This was a difficult decision to make,” Sundance continued, “As a nonprofit, our Sundance spirit is in making something work against the odds. But with case numbers forecasted to peak in our host community the week of the festival, we cannot knowingly put our staff and community at risk.”
“The undue stress to Summit County’s health services and our more than 1,500 staff and volunteers would be irresponsible in this climate,” the statement goes on, “It has become increasingly clear over the last few days that this is the right decision to make for the care and well-being of all of our community.”
“While it is a deep loss to not have the in-person experience in Utah, we do not believe it is safe nor feasible to gather thousands of artists, audiences, employees, volunteers, and partners from around the world, for an eleven-day festival while overwhelmed communities are already struggling to provide essential services,” Sundance continued.
Last year, Sundance counted 600K views for the online edition of its show. Organizers plan to adjust the viewing schedule to accommodate the festival’s new, virtual venue.
“While we’re disappointed to not provide the full hybrid experience and gather in-person as intended, audiences this year will still experience the magic and energy of our Festival with bold new films and XR work, the discovery of new storytellers, direct encounters with artists, and an innovative globally accessible social platform and gallery space,” adds the statement, “Our partner community will also be adding a vibrant dimension to the festival with a rich mix of conversation, talent talks, and events.”
While the Omicron variant is responsible for far worse than having to move a beloved film festival to an online platform, the situation is still a major disappointment for those hoping to attend. Safety is a major concern, but attending the festival in your underwear doesn’t exactly have the same energy as an in-person experience. I hope that we’ve recovered from Covid enough by next year for Sundance to go off without a hitch. Until then, I’ll see you all on the red carpet. I’ll be the one wearing a Failure t-shirt, pajama pants, and a pair of the Pokémon socks I got for Christmas.