For the first time in decades, the film industry in Colorado sees hope on the horizon. This is the state that once hosted iconic productions like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, True Grit (1969) and Stagecoach. In recent decades, however, that legacy has dwindled to just one major production every five years. This stagnation — and the resulting “brain drain” of our best talent to California, New York and New Mexico — made it nearly impossible to build a thriving local ecosystem.
The tide is beginning to turn. In 2027, we will welcome the Sundance International Film Festival to Colorado. While some have questioned the $70 million incentive package used to secure the festival, that figure doesn’t tell the full story. Of that $70 million, only $34 million is in state tax credits; the remainder is backed by private interests, the City of Boulder, Visit Boulder,and the University of Colorado Boulder. This funding is spread over ten years, and Sundance has committed to calling Boulder home — meaning that each year, the state is only providing an average of $3.4 million in total. These tax credits are not being thrown at an unproven event. In 2025 alone, Sundance generated a $196.1 million economic impact for Utah with over 85,000 attendees. For Colorado, we anticipate the festival will generate over $2 billion in economic impact over the next decade.
The impact of Sundance isn’t confined to a two-week event in Boulder. We are already seeing “cascading effects” through year-round cultural activities, such as recent screenings of the award-winning American Pachuco in Denver and Longmont. However, this momentum depends entirely on our film office. The Colorado Office of Film, Television, and Media (COFTM) and Film Commissioner Lauren Sloan have worked tirelessly to ensure Sundance’s success benefits the entire state. Through partnerships with the Colorado Film and Video Association, Denver Film and others, it has hosted town halls in seven regions, engaging hundreds of local creators and building the community required to attract major productions back to our rural areas…