Sundance Film Festival 2022 goes virtual amid Omicron scare

📢 Despite ambitious protocols, the Omicron variant with its unexpectedly high transmissibility rates is pushing the limits of health safety, travel and other infrastructures. Thus, #Sundance 2022’s in-person Utah elements will be moving online. More: https://t.co/orExAzKnEu pic.twitter.com/Q93P8p5J9Z

— SundanceFilmFestival (@sundancefest) January 5, 2022

“We have been looking forward to our first fully hybrid Sundance Film Festival and our teams have spent a year planning a festival like no other. But despite the most ambitious protocols, the Omicron variant with its unexpectedly high transmissibility rates is pushing the limits of health safety, travel and other infrastructures across the country.
“And so, today we’re announcing: the Festival’s in-person Utah elements will be moving online this year,” the statement read.

The Festival will begin Thursday, January 20, as planned. Our eleven days of online programming will proceed. We look forward to sharing the extraordinary work that fuels #Sundance, experiencing it together, and celebrating artists who will change the culture.

— SundanceFilmFestival (@sundancefest) January 5, 2022

We will be in touch with all pass and package holders and ticket purchasers with an update on already purchased tickets. Reminder: #Sundance 2022 single tickets will now go on sale January 13 (January 12 for the membership pre-sale) at 10:00 a.m. MT. pic.twitter.com/0v7OCgS8eb

— SundanceFilmFestival (@sundancefest) January 5, 2022

The organisers, however, assured that audiences will still “experience the magic and energy” of the gala with bold new films and discover new storytellers as well as connect with artists in the virtual format.

“While it is a deep loss to not have the in-person experience in Utah, we do not believe it is safe nor feasible to gather thousands of artists, audiences, employees, volunteers, and partners from around the world, for an eleven-day festival while overwhelmed communities are already struggling to provide essential services,” the statement further read.

The team said going virtual was “a difficult decision to make” but expressed hope that the 11-day-long festival, beginning January 20, will take place as per schedule. The festival is presented by Sundance Organisation, a nonprofit that discovers and supports independent artists, and introduces audiences to their work.