Sundance Film Festival
Also known as: SFF
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U.S. and World Cinema competitions form the core of the Sundance Film Festival, alongside NEXT, short films, episodic projects and noncompetitive sections including Premieres and Midnight. Presented by the nonprofit Sundance Institute, the festival focuses on independent fiction and documentary filmmaking. Its programme combines screenings with filmmaker conversations and panel discussions, while the Sundance Industry Office provides accredited professionals with press and industry screenings, film-rights information and meeting facilities.
The 2027 edition dates are 21–31 January in Boulder, Colorado, with screenings across downtown venues and the University of Colorado Boulder campus. Selected films are available online to audiences in the United States on 28–31 January 2027.
Country
United States (USA)
Focus
Animation, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Experimental, Family, Horror, Sci-Fi, TV and Web Shows
Categories
Animation, Documentary, Experimental, Feature, Music Video, Short, Television, Web and New Media
Dates
21 January 2027 — 31 January 2027
Awards and prizes
The U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic and World Cinema Documentary competitions award jury prizes and an Audience Award in each section. NEXT films compete for the NEXT Innovator Award and an Audience Award. All accepted shorts are eligible for the Short Film Grand Jury Prize, with jury prizes for U.S. Fiction, International Fiction, Nonfiction and Animation. Audience voting across feature-film sections also determines the Festival Favorite Award.
Additional distinctions in the latest completed edition, 2026, include directing awards, the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, the Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award, special jury awards and the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize for a feature with science or technology themes or characters.
Festival rules
2027 edition: Projects are submitted through FilmFreeway in eight categories: U.S. and international narrative features, U.S. and international documentary features, U.S. and international shorts, and episodic content of 60 minutes or less or over 60 minutes. Features run at least 50 minutes; shorts run less than 50 minutes including credits. Country classification follows the source of financing.
Open submissions of U.S. features require world-premiere status, while international features require international-premiere status. Public distribution and screenings before 1 February 2027 are subject to the detailed restrictions for each category. Feature-length and episodic projects completed before 1 January 2025 are ineligible. Short-film eligibility has separate completion and previous-exhibition conditions; section II of the official rules permits shorts completed after 31 December 2025 regardless of premiere status. Episodic projects have their own premiere and prior-release requirements.
Applicants must hold the necessary rights and permissions, disclose any use of artificial intelligence and provide an accessible complete screener. Significant non-English dialogue requires on-screen English subtitles, subject to the stated artistic exception. Submissions use a direct digital upload or a Vimeo or YouTube link on the FilmFreeway project page. Programming determines the festival section; applicants cannot apply directly to a specific programme. Accepted projects may be presented in person and online under the festival programming guidelines. Submission fees, deadlines and full category-specific exceptions are set out in the official 2027 regulations and FAQ.
Contacts
- festival.sundance.org
- programming@sundance.org — Film submissions and programming enquiries
- sundance.org — Film submission information and official terms
- sio@sundance.org — Industry Office: professional registration and new membership
- sundance.org — Industry accreditation and professional services
- sundancesupport@sundance.org — General enquiries and festival support
- Institute@sundance.org — Sundance Institute general enquiries
- +1 435-658-3456 — General office line; not ticketing or customer support
- P.O. Box 39, Boulder, CO 80306, United States — Sundance Institute mailing address
- sundance.org — 2027 festival submission rules and eligibility (PDF)
- sundance.org — 2027 submission FAQ, deadlines, fees and delivery requirements (PDF)