SUNDANCE INSTITUTE ANNOUNCES 2015-2016 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS IN HONG KONG AND LONDON

Connecting Independent Artists and Audiences in Two Key Global Locations

Sundance Film Festival: Hong Kong to take place September 17-27, 2015 at The Metroplex

Sundance Film Festival: London to take place in 2016 at new Picturehouse Central

Park City, UT — Sundance Institute has announced it will continue its film festivals in Hong Kong this year and London next year, with selections for each largely drawn from the Institute’s renowned Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. These events are part of the Institute’s work to share independent films with audiences abroad. The Institute has a more than 30-year legacy of discovering new films and filmmakers, which in recent years has included Academy Award winners and nominees Whiplash, Boyhood, 20 Feet from Stardom, Cutie and the Boxer and Beasts of the Southern Wild, as well as Fruitvale Station, Life Itself, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, The Way, Way Back and The Invisible War.

Hong Kong and London were selected for their rich cinematic history and engaged communities of independent filmmakers, film-loving audiences and local cultural partners. The Institute has long supported artists in each region through its annual Labs, grants and other programs, and work from these regions is regularly selected for the Sundance Film Festival.

Robert Redford, President and Founder of Sundance Institute, said, “We’ve nurtured filmmakers around the globe for many years now and these experiences have brought a rich perspective to all we do. Exploring international opportunities for the diverse landscape of American independent storytelling is an exciting proposition, and something to which we are equally committed.”

Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, “There are too few opportunities for independent artists to connect with international audiences, despite the increasing importance of this in building sustainable careers. Our events in Hong Kong and London are steps toward bridging this gap and show the openness of international audiences to exploring these films and issues.”

John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, “These events allow us to extend the tremendous energy and excitement of our Sundance Film Festival to adventurous audiences in Hong Kong and London. We look forward to building programs that are special to each location and, like our centerpiece Festival, are fueled by a spirit of discovery and creativity.”

Sundance Film Festival: Hong Kong — September 17-27, 2015
The Sundance Film Festival: Hong Kong will take place September 17-27, 2015, covering Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday for two consecutive weekends at The Metroplex, a newly opened state-of-the-art cineplex in Kowloon Bay in Hong Kong. Ten independent films will premiere as part of the screening series, marking its second year. The first year’s program featured the Hong Kong premieres of films includingWhiplash, The Skeleton Twins, Life After Beth and The Case Against 8. More information at hk.sundance.org; join the conversation on social media with #sundancehongkong.

Sundance Film Festival: London — 2016
The Sundance Film Festival: London will take place in 2016 at the new Picturehouse Central. The festival will build on the success of Sundance London, hosted in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and which featured the international and UK premieres of films including Fruitvale Station, Obvious Child,Frank, The Trip to Italy, The Queen of Versailles, Blackfish, Upstream Color and The Look of Love and was attended by filmmakers, artists and supporters including HRH The Prince of Wales, Michael Fassbender, Gemma Arterton, Ryan Reynolds, Gina Rodriguez, Lake Bell, Jimmy Carr, the Eagles, Peaches, David Cross, Rose McGowan, Minnie Driver and Rufus Wainwright. More information will be available atsundance.org/london; join the conversation on social media with #sundancelondon.

After months of extensive redevelopment of the former Cineworld Shaftesbury Avenue, Picturehouse will open their West End flagship, Picturehouse Central, with 1000 seats, seven screens and three café bars in June. The reinvention of the spaces will create a brand new cinema in the heart of the West End. With Dolby Atmos sound and 4k projection, Picturehouse Central will be the best place to watch a huge variety of films, ranging from quality blockbusters to independent, classic, foreign-language and art-house. The cinema will champion documentaries as a core element of its programming. The ground floor will include a New York Deli-style café with a grand staircase leading up to a first-floor bar with views over Shaftesbury Avenue. A double-height Central Members’ bar on the second and third floors will include a roof terrace with stunning views over London.

In advance of this 2016 festival, the Institute will host a few private screenings and events for London’s independent film community at the new Picturehouse Central in June of this year. Those events are to date supported by: Lead Partners – Kickstarter and Sundance Channel Global; and Supporting Partners – Dolby, HP, The Langham, London, Picturehouse Central, and the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development.

Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute’s signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.