COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Cincinnati is one of three finalists that could begin hosting the Sundance Film Festival, a prestigious film festival that has taken place annually in Utah for more than 40 years.

The Queen City, along with Boulder, Colorado, and Salt Lake City are moving forward in the review process to find Sundance’s long-term host, the festival’s parent organization, the Sundance Institute, announced on Thursday. The organization said the decision will be announced next year in late winter or early spring.

“As long-time attendees, we believe Cincinnati’s dedication to the arts, hospitality, and historic theaters make it a great fit,” said Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and CEO of Film Cincinnati Kristen Schlotman in a joint statement. “We are inspired by the idea of partnering with the Sundance Institute to celebrate the festival’s rich legacy while introducing a dynamic, walkable and accessible new venue.”

Sundance announced in July that Cincinnati had been selected as one of six U.S. cities that could begin hosting the festival starting in 2027. Sundance’s 2025 and 2026 festival will continue in partnership with Park City, Utah, where the organization is headquartered and has served as the festival’s home since its founding in 1978.

The festival’s contract with Park City is up for renewal in 2027, and the institute announced in April it would begin searching for new, viable locations. Still, Salt Lake City could remain the festival’s host given Sundance’s long-standing relationship with Utah.

The Sundance Institute said all three cities were assessed on ethos and equity values, infrastructure, and capabilities to host the festival, in addition to demonstrating ways in which they will continue to foster the Sundance community and inspire the next generation of independent filmmakers.

“We see great promise and potential in Boulder, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake/Park City. Each has shown us the blend of exciting possibilities, values, and logistics needed to produce a vibrant, inviting, and inclusive festival,” said Eugene Hernandez, Sundance festival director and Head of public programming. “We’re excited for a future Sundance that can discover, support, and inspire artists and audiences for the next forty years.”

Sundance boasted 138,050 in-person attendees and 285,184 virtual attendees in 2023, for a total viewership of more than 423,000. The institute also reported $118.3 million in Utah gross domestic product from last year’s festival, along with 1,608 new jobs for residents, $63 million in wages and $12.8 million in state and local tax revenue.

The festival is known for showcasing high-profile independent movies and has previously boosted filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson. Celebrities are also known to attend, like last year when Glenn Powell, Camila Cabello, Sebastian Stan, Chrissy Teigen, Saoirse Ronan, and Kieran Culkin walked the festival’s carpet.