Sundance film festival to go virtual amid rise in Omicron cases

The Sundance Film Festival in the United States has announced that the event’s 2022 edition will go virtual, amid a rise in the number of coronavirus cases caused by the Omicron variant.

The upcoming edition of Sundance Film Festival was scheduled to be held as an in-person event in Utah on January 20-30, with an online component for those who failed to attend the gala.

“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,” the festival’s organizers said in a statement.

“The festival’s in-person Utah elements will be moving online this year. While we’re disappointed to not provide the full hybrid experience and gather in-person as intended, audiences this year will still experience the magic and energy of our festival,” the statement added.

The organizers stressed that the decision to cancel the in-person program was difficult, but they said “with case numbers forecasted to peak in our host community the week of the festival we cannot knowingly put our staff and community at risk. The undue stress to Summit County’s health services and our more than 1,500 staff and volunteers would be irresponsible in this climate.”

Last year’s edition of the festival also took place online, while certain physical screenings were offered in markets across the US.

SQ/FM