EXCLUSIVE: “I hope the oldsters at Sundance have the readability of perspective to acknowledge that it might be of their greatest curiosity to carry the pageant to Georgia,” Sen. Raphael Warnock says of the Peach State’s distinctive triple bids for the Robert Redford-founded movie pageant to maneuver to Hollywood South beginning in 2027.
Addressing opponents for Sundance and the “plague” of Donald Trump, Warnock spoke with Deadline on Friday morning about these three Georgia bids to be the indie pageant’s new residence simply hours after the Atlanta-hosted debate between Trump and President Joe Biden.
Let’s simply say that a week after the deadline passed to submit Request for Proposals in the Sundance bidding process, Georgia’s junior senator is popping out sturdy for bids by Atlanta, Athens and Savannah.
“In 2023, over 86,000 individuals attended the Sundance Film Festival, together with almost 21,500 out-of-state guests who wanted necessities like lodging, automotive leases, and meals throughout the pageant,” Warnock wrote in a letter he despatched at present to Sundance leaders (learn the complete letter under). “Georgia is uniquely positioned to accommodate the expansion of the pageant and welcome all its guests.”
In April, Sundance announced it was opening the process of potentially leaving Park City and Utah after more than 40 years for a brand new location beginning after the 2026 pageant. As Deadline completely reported, following up on our exclusive last year about plans for a location change, about 15 jurisdictions have thrown their hats within the ring, with a choice by Sundance anticipated for this fall and to be made public throughout subsequent 12 months’s pageant.
“The Sundance Institute is at present within the technique of finishing a good and complete assessment of all potential companions,” a spokesperson for the institute advised Deadline at present. “We might be offering extra details about the following step of our course of as soon as the assessment course of is full.”
For Warnock, the place that potential companion ought to come from is already as clear as a Georgia morning.
DEADLINE: Senator, there are three metropolises within the Peach State which are bidding for the Sundance Movie Competition. I do know that you simply symbolize the entire state, however truthfully, who do you assume may need the benefit?
SEN. RAPHAEL WARNOCK: Properly, I feel the truth that you haven’t one, not two, however three Georgia cities competing for the Sundance pageant is indicative of what we’ve finished right here in Georgia. It underscores the arc of Georgia’s historical past, evolution within the leisure and financial and cultural realms, which makes all of those cities formidable opponents on this effort.
Georgia is a superb place to inform an excellent story.
Folks have been doing that for a very long time. We’ve got the infrastructure to embrace it. As a senator from all of Georgia, I’ve been glad to see it in any of those three cities.
DEADLINE: As we’ve been reporting, it appears just like the Sundance Institute has taken in bids from simply over a dozen areas for a possible 2027 transfer. But, within the view of some, it is a canine and pony present, and Sundance simply actually needs to get the state of Utah to place up extra money for the pageant to remain. What’s your opinion on that, as Georgia makes its triple bids?
WARNOCK: I can inform you that folks know that Georgia is a powerhouse within the movie trade.
I used to be out on the West Coast some time in the past once I was campaigning, and at a gathering on the market I actually had a high-ranking official in California, who I can’t identify however you’ll know, ask me in an unguarded second: “What may California do to cease Georgia from consuming their lunch?”
DEADLINE: I feel I do know who this high-ranking California official is…
WARNOCK: (laughs) Sure, and advised him I’ve no real interest in serving to him in that regard. So, what I’m saying to you is that Georgia is a critical participant in any critical dialog about the place to have this movie pageant.
DEADLINE: You’ve spoken in regards to the benefits the state presents, by way of infrastructure, by way of amenities, clearly …
WARNOCK: And the world’s busiest airport.
DEADLINE: … Atlanta has turn out to be Hollywood South. So, let’s simply heart on the good metropolis of Atlanta. How would you envision Sundance 2027 going down in Atlanta if it had been to win the bid?
WARNOCK: Oh, hear, I’m not going to take that bait (laughs).
I stay in Atlanta. I used to be born and raised in Savannah. Athens is a really charming metropolis that hosts the College of Georgia and the Bulldogs. All of Georgia will joyfully embrace the Sundance pageant. I hope the oldsters at Sundance have the readability of perspective to acknowledge that it might be of their greatest curiosity to carry the pageant to Georgia.
DEADLINE: As you already know, Utah is taking a joint strategy in its bid to maintain Sundance within the state. It’s not simply Park Metropolis attempting to retain Sundance. It’s Park Metropolis, it’s Salt Lake Metropolis and the encircling areas. Is that one thing that you simply assume may work for the Georgia bids?
WARNOCK: I’m going to let the oldsters who can straight have interaction on this function in that lane. However we’re a giant state. So, you already know the geography is totally different from Utah.
However, you already know, when the Tremendous Bowl got here right here in 2019, that helped the entire state. When FIFA brings the World Cup right here in a number of years, the entire state will take part. And I feel it’ll be no totally different if Sundance involves Athens, Savannah or Atlanta.
DEADLINE: So, with that Senator, who do you see as the most important competitor to snagging Sundance to the Georgia bids?
WARNOCK: Dominic, there isn’t any critical competitors to the Georgia bids.
DEADLINE: Spoken like a real son of the Peach State, Senator Warnock. I’ve to ask you, as a result of it occurred in your hometown, final evening noticed the primary presidential debate between Donald Trump and a struggling Joe Biden. What’s your tackle what we noticed?
WARNOCK: I hate to confess this to you, however I virtually forgot how a lot Donald Trump lies. That man stood on the stage and lied for 90 minutes straight.
He even lied about attempting to take credit score for one thing that I did alongside the president, which was to maintain the price of insulin low for seniors. He’s a transparent and current hazard to our democracy. He’s a plague on the American conscience, and we’ve received to ensure he will get nowhere within the Oval Workplace.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden take part on Thursday throughout CNN’s presidential debate in Atlanta
Justin Sullivan/Getty Pictures
Right here is Warnock’s letter to the Sundance Institute:
I’m happy to put in writing this letter to encourage the complete and honest consideration of Georgia’s three purposes to host the Sundance Movie Competition in 2027.
Rising because the “Hollywood of the South,” Georgia is a modern-day epicenter for visible storytelling. Our scenic landscapes, various cities, and heat and welcoming individuals have offered the backdrop for numerous movies and tv collection, fascinating audiences world wide and bringing tales to life. The arc of Georgia’s historical past and its evolution into an leisure, financial, and cultural powerhouse beckons a famend occasion just like the Sundance Movie Competition to make our nice state its new residence.In 2023, over 86,000 individuals attended the Sundance Movie Competition, together with almost 21,500 out-of- state guests who wanted necessities like lodging, automotive leases, and meals throughout the pageant. Georgia is uniquely positioned to accommodate the expansion of the pageant and welcome all its guests. The state efficiently hosted the Tremendous Bowl in 2019 and can quickly host a number of FIFA World Cup matches in 2026, together with a semifinal match. Georgia boasts sturdy aviation and transportation infrastructure, together with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport, the world’s busiest airport, which may accommodate guests from throughout the globe.
Moreover, Georgia’s movie and tv workforce is quickly rising. Productions have turn out to be more and more drawn to the state, and establishments such because the Savannah School of Artwork and Design and the College of Georgia are getting ready the following technology of movie employees. In reality, in 2023, movie and tv productions spent $4.1 billion in Georgia on almost 400 productions of movies, tv reveals, commercials, and music movies. Movie and tv manufacturing firms have additionally invested hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in manufacturing amenities and theaters throughout the state. Internet hosting the Sundance Movie Competition in Georgia would showcase the state’s important contributions to the movie trade and supply an unparalleled alternative to foster connections between impartial filmmakers, trade professionals, and audiences.
I encourage your full and honest consideration of the purposes to host the Sundance Movie Competition in Georgia.
