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Park City is home to what has become one of the biggest film events of the year in the United States. What started as an effort to attract more filmmakers to Utah has become an expression of the independent film industry's power and appeal with Hollywood actors consistently present and increasing public attention and attendance. This well-known festival started from humble beginnings.
Sterling Van Wagenen and John Earle founded the Utah/US Film Festival in 1978. They initially hoped to attract filmmakers to Utah. The first festival focused on retrospective films and filmmaker discussions. By 1981 Van Wagenen had left to form the Sundance Institute with actor Robert Redford and the festival had moved from Salt Lake City to Park City, Utah.
The Sundance Insitute (which helps develop the artistic abilities of screen writers, playwrights, etc.) assumed management of the US Film festival in1984-85 as a result of its financial difficulties. The festival also changed from being held in September to January which time change, along with the association of Robert Redford's name, contributed to the growth of the festival over the next few years.
In 1991 the US Film Festival was officially renamed the Sundance Film Festival after Robert Redford's character in the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The festival has helped many independent filmmakers score their big break. One example
is Quentin Tarantino, famous for his films Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill among others.
Popular films like Saw, Napolean Dynamite, and The Blair Witch Project all received wider attention as a result of their association with the Sundance Film Festival. Despite the festival's focus on independent films even corporate America has begun to take notice by establishing marketing operations independent of the film festival.
These operations have caused tension between Corporate America and the festival as the festival has desired official sponsorship by popular brands, rather than having the major brands operating independently. Similar tensions have arisen as the festival has become a press event for Hollywood actors.
These distractions from the original purpose of the festival have prompted directors of it to pass out buttons in 2007-08 which read, "Focus on Film." While the increased attention has brought along disappointing baggage the popularity of the festival continues to grow.
Public exposure has increased at least in part to popular TV shows including blurps about the Sundance Film Festival. Two popular TV cartoons The Simpsons and Southpark have made episodes which relate to the festival. Whether considered negative or positive by its directors the Sundance Film Festival continues to grow in popularity, providing a reliable venue for independent filmmakers to make their break.
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