Sundance Film Festival Student Programs

Through a variety of programs geared toward local high school and university students across the country, we offer opportunities for students to see films and speak directly with filmmakers about their creative journeys. 

Local Student Outreach

Utah High School Screening Series

Sundance Institute offers Utah students and teachers the incredible opportunity to participate in one of the world's premiere film festivals through the Sundance Film Festival High School Screening Program. With a selection of documentary and narrative films, the program presents an opportunity for students to explore the medium of film as entertainment, and as a powerful tool for raising awareness of issues that shape political and social landscapes both nationally and internationally. After each screening, the filmmaker conducts a question and answer session with the students. Utah students have been among the first to view films such as Napoleon Dynamite, March of the Penguins, and An Inconvenient Truth.

Next year’s program presents films from the 2012 Sundance Film Festival specially chosen by Institute staff to reflect issues and interests relevant to high school students. Rigorous attention is given to ensure films contain content appropriate for this age group. Through the support of the Salt Lake County Zoo Arts & Parks Program, Salt Lake City Arts Council, Utah Arts Council, Salt Lake County and the Summit County Recreation, and the Arts & Parks Program, these screenings are free to students.

We host daytime screenings at a Salt Lake City Festival Theatre Monday-Friday, January 23 - 27, 2012. Screening times are approximately 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. We also host two screenings in Ogden (date TBD). Schools are responsible for providing transportation for their students to the venues. In 2011, we hosted 55 schools and over 5,000 students, and we hope to include even more participants in 2012!

Please email studentprograms@sundance.org by Monday, December 5, 2011, to let us know of your interest.

Utah Film Student Package

Please visit the Festival ticketing section here to learn more about student ticket packages.

Thank you to following sponsors for supporting our student outreach opportunities: Rap Tax, Zap Tax, and PCPA Foundation.