Athens, Atlanta and Savannah emerge as potential host cities for the Sundance Film Festival

A spokesperson with Sundance did not respond to a request for comment.

Bids by Atlanta and Savannah for the film festival were already publicly known, but Athens’ inclusion in the list had not been previously disclosed.

Georgia is one of the top film and television production hubs in the U.S. behind Los Angeles and New York. Most of the Georgia production is centered in metro Atlanta, though Athens and Savannah have each played host to numerous film and television projects.

About 90 cities put in bids to host Sundance, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the United States. It has been held in Park City, Utah, since its inception in 1981, but festival management has decided to consider alternative locations when its contract ends in 2026.

The core group was whittled down to 15 cities earlier this month, all of which must now organize host committees. Atlanta has not finalized its committee. Christopher Escobar, the executive director of The Atlanta Film Society and owner of the city’s Plaza and Tara cinemas, chaired the request for information (RFI) process. He did not respond to a request for comment.

The three Georgia contenders have yet to make a public announcement about their selections. City of Atlanta spokesman Michael Smith did not respond to a request for comment.

The deadline for the 15 cities to submit a formal proposal is June 21. A host city will be named in late 2024 or early 2025, according to the institute.

Held annually in January, the Sundance festival draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to Park City each year. This year’s festival featured 91 films and 60-plus shorts. More than 100,000 people attended the event, with 40% coming from out of state.

-Staff writer Rodney Ho contributed to this report.