Sundance Film Festival to proceed despite Los Angeles wildfires

Despite the ongoing wildfires devastating Los Angeles, the Sundance Film Festival will proceed as scheduled in Park City, Utah, starting January 23. In a letter released today (January 14), CEO Amanda Kelso and festival director Eugene Hernandez emphasised the importance of continuing the annual event.

“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. Right now, we may mourn, but we also know it is important to carry on,” they stated.

The announcement follows a week of cancellations for major industry events,



including the Critics Choice Awards, the BAFTA Tea Party, and the WGA and PGA nominations.

The fires have impacted Sundance leadership directly. Michelle Satter, the Sundance Institute’s founding senior director of artist programs, lost her home in the Palisades. “Our heart goes out to everyone who’s experiencing loss during this devastating time in our city,” Satter wrote on social media.

As of Monday, over 60 square miles have burned, 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed, and 92,000 people remain under evacuation orders. The fires have claimed 24 lives, adding to the urgency of relief efforts in Los Angeles.