Louisville, photographed from across the Ohio River just after sunset, was in the running to host the Sundance Film Festival but did not make the most recent cut. (Getty Images)
The recent decision by Sundance to eliminate Louisville from consideration as a potential festival location is not surprising, and a good call. It was astounding that Louisville even made the short list of potential host cities given Kentucky’s numerous human rights violations, which contradict the ethos and equity values Sundance says it holds.
Sundance’s decision to exclude Louisville from consideration as a future festival location was a necessary choice, and an unfortunate foreshadowing of Kentucky tourism.
At the heart of Sundance’s ethos is a community agreement rooted in respect, equity, and inclusion. Their mission celebrates diversity, creativity, and freedom of expression — qualities that cannot thrive in a state that has enacted draconian laws and perpetuated systemic discrimination. The reality is clear: Out of touch lawmakers have eroded the rights of Kentucky’s most vulnerable citizens. Our commonwealth is now a place where women’s reproductive autonomy has been stripped away, LGBTQ+ rights are under siege, and systemic racism runs rampant within law enforcement and other institutions.
Kentucky’s abortion ban is a particularly glaring example of the state’s assault on fundamental freedoms. The state has enacted some of the most restrictive anti-abortion laws in the country, effectively criminalizing health care providers and making women second-class citizens. Women no longer have the right to make decisions about their own bodies, forced instead into life-altering situations dictated by political ideology. By banning abortion, Kentucky has signaled that it values control over compassion, and oppression over freedom. Sundance, with its progressive vision of inclusion, could not stand in partnership with a state that denies women the basic right to control their reproductive futures.
Additionally, the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) has been the subject of federal investigations, revealing a disturbing pattern of excessive force and discrimination. LMPD’s practices have eroded trust and perpetuated a cycle of injustice. Breonna Taylor’s tragic murder highlighted these problems on a national scale, but the underlying systemic problems persist. How could an institution like Sundance, which celebrates stories of resistance and change, host an event in a state that has refused to address these very issues?
And this is just the beginning. Kentucky has criminalized homelessness rather than addressing the root causes of poverty. The general assembly’s attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, from trans health care bans to discriminatory legislation, are on the rise.
These new laws are not solving any of the problems we face; they are part of a broad, coordinated agenda to marginalize and silence anyone who does not fit a narrow definition of “acceptable” in Kentucky.
A vibrant and diverse organization like the Sundance Institute could not, in good conscience, select Louisville as a site for the festival. Members of the Institute, filmmakers, and festival attendees could not be guaranteed safety here. Louisville cannot even offer best practices in medical care for the 140,000 people who would visit for the festival, much less the highest standard of medical care.
Sundance’s choice to exclude Louisville is a refusal to be complicit in the oppression Kentuckians face each day. If Kentucky’s leaders truly want to attract vibrant, creative industries like the film world, they need to first fix the deep-rooted problems that make this state an unwelcoming and hostile place for far too many people.
To others on the national scene scouting Kentucky: You have a message to send with your choice. World-renowned or nationally lauded institutions and programs will not choose to spend their money in states that do not embrace freedom and equality. Aim higher and select a state where leaders respect human rights. Until women are equal citizens, until Black lives matter, until LGBTQ+ individuals are free to live without fear and are treated with dignity and compassion, there is no room for a festival like Sundance in Kentucky.
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