Sundance Film Festival organizers are considering moving to another state from their longtime home in Utah and another state to expel the gay pride flag from government property, according to reports.
Sundance has been located in Park City, Utah since 1981, after its first three years in Salt Lake City. And while Beehive's troops have tried to seduce organizers to return the event to Salt Lake City after the 2026 deadline for the festival's contract with Park City, the campaign may have issues.
Gov. Spencer Cox moved to place the cherries on the proposal by moving this year's festival to secure a $3 million state grant. Cox has also been working to move the Festival Committee to Salt Lake City since 2027.
However, according to Varietythere is anxiety in the state Senate passing through the recent 12-8 votes within the festival HB77a bill that prohibits the display of various gay, lesbian and transgender pride flags in schools and other government buildings.
The bill depicts which flags are allowed to be displayed on government property. That list includes the US flags, flags of other countries, university and university flags, and official flags of the US Olympic Committee. This list does not include activist flags such as gay pride flags.
Variety Insiders report they are not satisfied with the bill. The bill is believed to have been signed into law by Governor Cox.
“It's a terrible law and a terrible look for the nation,” the source said of the bill. “No matter what they say, we all know who it is aiming for – the LGBTQ+ community, that's not acceptable.”
Another hopeless insider told a reporter: “What are they thinking? Utah is Utah, but this is at the heart of the community Sundance has worked for years and years.”
Now, it appears that festival organizers are considering bidding more seriously from other states, including Colorado, where Boulder is emerging as a top candidate. And the flag bill added more weight to Boulder's bids, Variety claim.
To bolster their own opportunities, mayors of both Park City and Salt Lake City reportedly told Sundance officials that they were opposed to the flag bill. And Salt Lake officials emphasized the gay pride flag being raised over the main civic buildings.
Rep. Trevor Lee, one of the bill's sponsors, argues that the goal is to “neutralize” government property in the culture war.
“We are making sure the flags listed on government property are politically neutral,” he said.
Despite leaks from insiders, the festival itself has not made any official comments on the flag issue and has issued a statement that is all its own. The finalist city people were at the festival. We hope to make a decision by the end of March or early April. ”
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