PARK CITY, Utah — The Sundance Film Festival may be a little bittersweet this year. It will be familiar in some ways as it kicks off Thursday in Park City, Utah. There will be stars and breakout discoveries, tearjerkers, comedies, thrillers, oddities that defy categorization and maybe even a few future Oscar nominees. The pop-ups and sponsors will be out in full force on Main Street. The lines to get into the 90 movies premiering across 10 days will be long, and the volunteers will be endlessly helpful and cheery in subfreezing temperatures.
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Robert Redford poses on a balcony along Main Street decorated with his Sundance Film Festival banners on Jan. 17, 2003, in Park City, Utah.
Mark Duplass, left, and Jay Duplass arrive at the Film Independent Spirit Awards Feb. 22, in Santa Monica, Calif.
In this film still provided by Sundance Institute, Skyler Bible, Lucy Boynton, Oliver Diego Silva, David Duchovny, Hope Davis, Ariela Barer and Cooper Raiff appear in the film "See You When I See You" by Jay Duplass, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
In this film still provided by Sundance Institute, Cooper Hoffman and Olivia Wilde appear in the film "I Want Your Sex" by Gregg Araki, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
The exterior of the Egyptian Theatre is illuminated on Main Street during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, Jan. 22, 2015.
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