These days, filmmakers are moving that extra mile to produce outstanding movies as well as reaching for different film festival awards. Film awards are now becoming more vital for directors, actors, and actresses. These awards can make them feel good about the professional field that they work in. However, there are many places that have gained fame for arranging film festivals. Among all these places Utah, in the US is managing to gather a huge crowd every year with the opening of the Sundance film festival. This film festival has been termed as the largest and independent one in its category. In the US people and everyone related to the film industry wait for this huge platform. Everyone wants to get prepared so that they can go the Sundance film festival. This film festival used to be held in the month of January in Park City, Salt Lake City and Ogden. This is the film festival that has managed to draw enough responses from American and international independent filmmakers over the years. This is the premier showcase for most of the new filmmakers that are basically American. The Sundance Film Festival comprises of different sections that are meant for American and international independent filmmakers. Dramatic, documentaries, full-length movies and short movies can take part in this competition. For the Sundance Film Festival, the juries have too announced non-competitive showcase sections, which include the New Frontier, Spectrum and Park City at Midnight.

Growth of the Sundance Film Festival:

At the initial phase, the Sundance film festival was a low profile venue, which comprised of low-budget and independent filmmakers that didn’t come from Hollywood. In reality, those independent moviemakers are actually looking for the exposure to Hollywood and due to this reason they were coming to this film festival. However, this film festival has managed to take an extra mile and now more American and international independent moviemakers are opting for it.
The real commencement of the film festival began in 1978 in Salt Lake City. This was an attempt made by the film festival management to draw more filmmakers to Utah. Sterling Van Wagenen, John Earle and Cirina Hampton Catania found this film festival. The last two members are now working with the Utah Film Festival Commission and Sterling Van Wagenen has been appointed as the head of Wildwood, Robert Redford’s company. Well, there are some other people that have influenced the Sundance Film Festival with their unique thoughts. Among them is Chairperson Robert Redford, and with the help of Governor Scott Matheson of Utah it has made this film festival very popular. However, the key notion of the Sundance Film Festival is to strictly promote American films.

In this way, the whole world can look for the real potential of the American film industry and the visibility for such an industry will increase. To this day, the key notion behind the Sundance Film Festival seems to be based around the independent filmmakers of America and conducting a competition among these moviemakers can represent the actual value. On the other hand this attempt is turning out to be a great one for these independent filmmakers, as most of them are trying to come up with the latest movies every year and these movies are loaded with tons of new applications and features. For the first time in history in the year 1978, the jury has been organized and it was headed by Gary Allison, Verna Fields, Linwood Gale Dunn, Katherine Ross, Charles E. Sellier Jr., Mark Rydell and Anthea Sylbert. These are the names of some famous personalities in Utah and some of them have managed to accomplish their part within the American film industry. In 1979, Sterling Van Wagenen headed to the jury for a pilot program. This program was commenced by the Sundance Institute and Cirina Hampton Catania. These two guys have been appointed as the executive directors for the Sundance Film Festival in that year. More than 60 films have gone through the screening procedure that year and Jimmy Stewart and the panel have won the award for the Frank Capra. This panel has featured many reputed Hollywood filmmakers. Well, it was the first time when the Sundance Film Festival managed to make a profit . In 1980 ,Catania left the film festival and opted for a career in Hollywood.
There are several aspects that are responsible for the growth of the Sundance Film Festival. However, the involvement of Robert Redford can be termed as the prime aspect for the growth of this film festival. Redford, who belongs to Utah and became the first chairman for the Sundance Film Festival and once he was appointed to the film festival, it started to receive more response from the rest world. The second aspect was that Utah as a place, seems to be hungry for organising such a function that can promote the American filmmakers and their films. In that time, one more festival named the Dallas Film Fest was accomplishing such a task.

Soon after the announcement of the Sundance Film Festival, it started to receive enough response in Hollywood and major studios have taken the initiative to make their contribution at the festival. In 1981, the Sundance Film Festival moved to Park City and the schedule of the festival was changed from January to September. This alteration had been suggested by Hollywood director Sydney Pollack. This was a great suggestion from the Hollywood director as organising such a function in the summer is not a wise move.

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