Something big is brewing for Sundance in Colorado, and audiences will get a taste of it months before the festival officially arrives in Boulder. The Sundance Institute is bringing “Mostly True Stories From the Sundance Film Festival” to Denver for a one-night live event packed with filmmaker stories, festival memories, archival treasures and behind-the-scenes moments.
Set for September 8, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. MT, the event will take place at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver, giving Colorado audiences an early glimpse into the spirit and history of Sundance before its first Boulder edition in January 2027.
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What is the Sundance Film Festival about?
This isn’t being positioned as a standard movie screening. Instead, “Mostly True Stories From the Sundance Film Festival” will put the people behind Sundance at center stage.
The live program will revisit the festival’s history, values and founding ethos through the personal experiences of filmmakers, writers, directors, producers and Sundance leadership. Audiences can expect stories surrounding formative films, unforgettable festival moments, tall tales and archival material, including stories described as “rarely heard.”
The event is presented by the Sundance Institute and the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, with the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) and Denver Film joining as partners.
That combination makes the Denver gathering more than a retrospective. It is also an early bridge between Sundance and its new Colorado audience.
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Sundance Denver Event 2026: Date, Time, Location and Ticket Prices
The event is scheduled as a one-night gathering on September 8, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. MT.
It will be held at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver in Denver, Colorado. Tickets start at $29 for adults and $15 for students, with tickets available through the Newman Center’s online ticketing platform.
| Official Detail | Information |
| Event | “Mostly True Stories From the Sundance Film Festival” |
| Date | September 8, 2026 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. MT |
| Location | Newman Center for the Performing Arts, University of Denver |
| City | Denver, Colorado |
| Adult Tickets | Starting at $29 |
| Student Tickets | Starting at $15 |
| Presented By | Sundance Institute and Newman Center for the Performing Arts |
| Partners | CBCA and Denver Film |
| Sundance Colorado Debut | January 21–31, 2027 |
| Future Festival Location | Boulder, Colorado |
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Sundance 2026 Denver Lineup: Rian Johnson, Dee Rees and More
The announced lineup brings together filmmakers, a producer and Sundance leadership whose careers are closely connected with films shown at previous Sundance Film Festivals.
Featured participants include:
- Amy Redford — Filmmaker and Sundance Institute board member, known in connection with The Guitar (2008 Sundance Film Festival) and What Comes Around.
- Rian Johnson — Writer and director of Knives Out, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Brick, which appeared at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
- Dee Rees — Writer and director of Mudbound, which appeared at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, and Pariah, which appeared at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
- Christine Vachon — Producer associated with Past Lives (2023 Sundance Film Festival), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001 Sundance Film Festival), and Carol.
- Eugene Hernandez — Sundance Film Festival Director and Head of Public Programming.
Additional participants may join the event.
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What Stories Will Sundance Reveal in Denver?
The real hook is what these artists remember.
The program will explore experiences that helped define Sundance over the decades, connecting audiences with the films, risks, unexpected moments and shared experiences that became part of the festival’s identity.
Sundance Film Festival Director and Head of Public Programming Eugene Hernandez emphasized the central role of artists in that history:
“The history of the Sundance Film Festival is really the history of the artists who’ve participated over the decades, the films they’ve debuted, the risks they’ve taken and the experiences they’ve shared with audiences.”
That philosophy gives the event its focus: Sundance’s story is being told through the people who experienced it.
Why the Denver Event Matters Before Sundance Boulder 2027
The timing is especially significant.
After decades in Park City, Utah, the Sundance Film Festival is relocating to Boulder, Colorado, with its first Colorado edition scheduled for January 21–31, 2027.
The upcoming festival is expected to bring Hollywood talent and tens of thousands of attendees to venues around Pearl Street and the University of Colorado Boulder campus. Planned locations include Macky Auditorium and other venues around Boulder.
More information about festival passes and tickets is expected to be released in September 2026.
So, while Denver is not the location of the 2027 Sundance Film Festival itself, this September event gives Colorado audiences an early connection to the festival before its Boulder debut.
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Sundance Film Festival’s Move to Colorado Explained
The Sundance Film Festival is a program of the nonprofit Sundance Institute, founded by Robert Redford in 1981. For decades, the festival has been a major platform for independent filmmaking and emerging artists.
Its move from Park City to Boulder is intended to create a more centralized footprint with upgraded venues while expanding community engagement throughout Colorado. The broader effort includes partnerships involving local organizations, universities and events.
For Colorado, that means Sundance’s arrival is about more than changing the festival’s address. The September 8 Denver event is part of a wider effort to establish relationships with local audiences and communities before the January 2027 festival begins.
What Colorado Audiences Can Expect From the Sundance Preview
“Mostly True Stories From the Sundance Film Festival” offers Coloradans a chance to encounter the festival’s personality before its full-scale arrival in Boulder.
With filmmakers, producers and Sundance leadership sharing stories about the films and experiences that shaped the festival, the event provides an early look at the culture Sundance is bringing into its new Colorado chapter.
The bigger moment comes in January, when the inaugural Colorado edition runs from January 21 through January 31, 2027. But for audiences eager to understand what makes Sundance special, Denver gets the first preview.
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Disclaimer
This article is based on thorough research of publicly available information and announcements available as of August 21, 2026, including information from the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, its ticketing platform, Sundance Film Festival official channels, and The Denver Post. Event details, including the participant lineup, timing and ticket availability, may change. Readers should verify the latest information with official Sundance and event sources before making plans to attend.
Sources
- Newman Center for the Performing Arts — “Mostly True Stories From the Sundance Film Festival”
- Newman Center ticketing page
- Sundance Film Festival official announcement on X
- The Denver Post — “Sundance bringing all-star film fest event to University of Denver ahead of Colorado debut”
- Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival official channels for additional announcements concerning the festival’s Colorado relocation and 2027 programming.
Image Credits:
- Featured Image: Syced / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
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