The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will be held from January 22- February 1, 2026, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah. The at-home program will be available online from January 29-February 1, 2026 for audiences across the country. In-person guests will come together to celebrate Robert Redford and the impact his vision in nurturing independent voices and the next generation of filmmakers through Sundance Institute's year-round programs, Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Collab, and beyond. The institute Redford founded four decades ago in 1981 has shaped independent cinema, uplifted the power of storytelling and will continue to carry forward his mission.

Celebrating Sundance Institute: A Tribute to Founder Robert Redford will be taking place on Friday, January 23, 2026 at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley in Utah. The evening will honor Sundance Institute's Founder, Robert Redford sharing his legacy, vision and enduring mission to support independent storytellers. Part of paying tribute this year, the inaugural Robert Redford Luminary Award will be established and presented to Ed Harris and Gyula Gazdag. Both of these artists are deeply dedicated to the Sundance Institute labs and committed to elevating bold storytellers.

"This will be a profoundly meaningful year for Sundance Institute as we honor our Founder, Robert Redford. This special evening supports the mission that he built this organization upon," said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute Board Chair. "This annual event enables the nonprofit Institute to continue to launch and uplift the work of independent artists from all over the world through labs, grants, and public programs. We look forward to our guests joining us in honoring and celebrating the vision that we will carry forward."

The Robert Redford Luminary Award recognizes and celebrates individuals who have, in a visionary way, used their resources, insights, and reach to create possibility where there wasn't, thus doing their part to make the world a better place. Harris and Gazdag will be acknowledged for their decades-long contributions as creative advisors for the Sundance Institute Directors Lab, where they offer guidance to artists as they develop and refine their projects and skills as writers and directors in a nurturing, immersive environment. They will be honored for their dedication to Robert Redford's vision of elevating new voices, championing independent storytelling, and upholding that artistic endeavor for years to come.

Film screenings go on sale January 14 at 10 a.m. MT, and limited quantities of select passes and packages remain on sale. Visit the Sundance Film Festival website for more information: festival.sundance.org