ANNOUNCING: Sundance NEXT FEST 2016
The weekend-long summer festival known for celebrating the renegade spirit of individual artists is returning for its fourth appearance in LA August 12-14 at the Theater at the Ace Hotel. This year, we’ll showcase six new independent films, all of which will be paired with either a music act, live performance or conversation with an icon of independent cinema.
But for the 2016 installment, we’re mixing things up with even more films and an outdoor entertainment venue, offering bigger and better opportunities for audiences to celebrate the summer energy and spirit of film and music in LA.
In addition to our regularly scheduled programming, we’ve added a new thing called NEXT DOOR, a free outdoor entertainment venue where attendees can mingle and enjoy a drink, which will be accompanied by its own short film program. NEXT DOOR will be open before and after the films and performances, so you get there early and stay late.
We’re also having a special-kick off event, NIGHT BEFORE NEXT. The celebration on
August 11 will benefit the
Sundance Institute and honor an independent filmmaker to watch. Previous honorees have included Ryan Coogler, Benh Zeitlin, Marielle Heller and Damien Chazelle.
Tickets for NIGHT BEFORE NEXT will run you about $150, and include a Sundance Institute
membership and access to an outdoor party with live entertainment, interactive games and food trucks, as well as the opportunity to purchase tickets to a private dinner and reception with Institute alumni and artists.
NEXT FEST highlights in previous years have included the L.A. premiere of Noah Baumbach’s
Mistress America paired with a performance by Sky Ferreira, Jeff Baena’s
Life After Beth followed by a solo acoustic set by Father John Misty, a screening of
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night with a live performance by Warpaint, a back- to- back DJ set by
Neon Indian and Toro Y Moi, the world premiere of Kendrick Lamar’s short film,
m.A.A.d., and an extended conversation between the filmmakers of Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter and Werner Herzog.
The full lineup will be announced later this summer, and we’ll start releasing tickets around then. Admission for each screening will cost between $15-25. Guests will be able to choose between purchasing full weekend festival packages or individual tickets to select events. Sundance Institute members will have access to an advance ticket sale, special member seating at screenings, an invitation to an exclusive members party and auto entry into our NEXT FEST sweepstakes.
