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- A Utah bill banning pride flags in public buildings may affect Sundance Film Festival retention, according to a "Sundance insider" quoted by a Hollywood trade publication.
- The report prompted one of the sponsors of that bill to accuse the festival of promoting pornography and being "anti-LDS."
- Utah is one of three finalists to host the festival after 2026.
SALT LAKE CITY — A bill that would ban gay pride flags in classrooms and public buildings could hamper Utah's efforts to keep the Sundance Film Festival in the state, according to a Hollywood trade publication.
The bill in question, HB77, would prohibit the flying of all but a few approved flags in public buildings. Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, said his proposal is about maintaining political neutrality in public spaces, but many say the bill is meant to limit the flying of rainbow gay pride flags and other LGBTQ+ flags.
Deadline reported Wednesday the bill could jeopardize talks to keep the festival in the Beehive State, quoting an anonymous "Sundance insider" who said the bill "goes to the heart of the community Sundance has worked years and years to develop."
"It is a terrible law, a terrible look for the state," the insider added. "No matter what they say, we all know who it's aimed at — the LGBTQ+ community, and that's unacceptable."
Advocates have asked Gov. Spencer Cox to veto HB77, though he appears inclined to sign it into law, telling reporters last week that when he is approached by critics about the bill, he responds by asking if they would feel comfortable with a Make America Great Again flag flying in their child's classroom.
"And the answer is always, 'No, I would not be comfortable with that,'" he said. "And so I think that's kind of where my mind is right now, but I'm obviously open to other discourse and other discussion."
Although the Legislature approved a $3.5 million offer to Sundance and top leaders have expressed support for keeping the festival in Salt Lake City and Park City, some Republican lawmakers appeared unconcerned about the potential for losing the festival, which has been a tradition in Utah since it began in 1978.
"Bye Felicia," HB77 floor sponsor Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, posted in response to Deadline's article. "Sundance promotes porn. Sundance promotes alternative lifestyles. Sundance promotes anti-LDS themes. Sundance does not fit in Utah anymore."
"I'm fine with the First Amendment and allowing alternative viewpoints but I am not fine giving @sundancefest $3.5M to facilitate their trash," he said in a subsequent post.
McCay voted for the state budget, including the appropriation for Sundance, but said he wasn't supportive of that item and appeared to suggest that Cox use a line-item veto to strip away the funding.
Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, told KSL.com Friday: "I sincerely hope they choose to stay in Utah," calling Sundance "an example of Utah's creative spirit."
"We understand nor do we expect every organization that operates in our state to agree with every policy decision," Adams said. "However, it is the various perspectives, the welcoming spirit, regulatory policies and the people that truly make Utah such a great place to do business."
Adams also emphasized Utah's 2015 Fairness for All Act, which expanded housing and employment protections for LGBTQ+ Utahns and people of faith — an approach Adams said he is committed to upholding.
The future of the Sundance Film Festival in Utah has been up in the air since last spring when the Sundance Institute announced plans to look at other potential host locations once its contract expires in 2026. The institute is expected to make a decision soon, after narrowing its field of potential sites to three finalists: Park City/Salt Lake City, Boulder, Colorado, and Cincinnati, Ohio.
"There is not a state in this nation where inclusivity, diversity and empathy aren't under attack, and everyone has a role in standing up for those values," Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall told KSL.com in a statement. "Salt Lake City will never stop supporting our neighbors, including the LGBTQIA community, and Sundance is an incredible partner in that support. The power of amplifying voices and creating change through art is needed now more than ever in this ongoing work."
Park City issued a statement saying it is still working to understand the impacts of HB77 but said its "commitment to inclusivity remains unchanged."
Contributing: Carter Williams
