Slamdance Film Festival is relocating from Park City, Utah, to Los Angeles starting in 2025.
The next iteration running February 20-26, 2025, will take place at venues in and surrounding Hollywood including Landmark Theatres Sunset and the DGA Theater Complex, which is also on Sunset Boulevard. Additional locations will be announced.
Festival heads said the move “will allow for the continued growth of Slamdance’s year-round mission to provide an accessible and dynamic community for truly independent, visionary filmmakers and creators”.
The festival said it aims to be financially accessible with in-person passes starting at $50 and many programmes free to the public.
The 2025 edition will bring new and existing programmes, including Polytechnic, Slamdance’s free education initiative; ’6ixty’, a series of one-minute short films made on any format; Next Wave LA, a programme of new media work by LA-based artists; and the experiential and cutting-edge DIG (Digital, Interactive, Gaming) section.
The news comes in a year of change for American festivals and markets. Sundance is currently scouting for a potential new venue away from Park City, while American Film Market is moving from Santa Monica to Las Vegas later this year.
AGBO co-founders Anthony and Joe Russo, who began their careers with the Slamdance premiere of their comedy feature Pieces in 1997 and partner with Slamdance on a fellowship programme and other initiatives, said their commitment to the festival remain “unwavering”. They added, “We look forward to witnessing the continued growth and impact of Slamdance in its new home.”
Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass said Los Angeles “has always been a home and a source of inspiration for artists, as the creative capital of the world” and said Slamdance would serve as a “dynamic hub for creativity, connection, and job opportunities for Angelenos”.
Slamdance president Peter Baxter, who founded the festival in 1995, said, “Building upon our success in Utah, we will grow the festival with greater accessibility in Los Angeles and continue our work in launching new films, new careers, and new ideas in filmmaking. With new and existing collaborators, our mission is to increase the global value of independent film and digital media and serve the Los Angeles arts community.”
Notable Slamdance alumni and supporters besides The Russo Brothers include Emma and Christopher Nolan, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Sean Baker, Rian Johnson, Bong Joon Ho, Merawi Gerima, Marie Jamora, and Steven Soderbergh.
Panasonic LUMIX will be the official sponsor.
The 2024 festival screened 113 films, 17 of which were world premieres.
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