Senator Raphael Warnock on Georgia’s Sundance bid and the fallout from the POTUS debate

EXCLUSIVE: “I hope the folks at Sundance have a clear enough perspective to recognize that it would be in their best interest to move the festival to Georgia,” Senator Raphael Warnock said of the Peach State’s extraordinary triple-digit bid for the Robert Redford-founded film festival to move to Hollywood South starting in 2027.

Addressing Sundance’s competitors and the “plague” of Donald Trump, Warnock spoke with Deadline on Friday morning about three bids from Georgia for the indie festival’s new home just hours after Trump and President Joe Biden held a debate in Atlanta.

Let’s say that a week after the deadline for submitting requests for proposals in the Sundance bidding process, Georgia’s junior senator clearly clearly chooses the bids submitted by Atlanta, Athens, and Savannah.

“The 2023 Sundance Film Festival will welcome more than 86,000 people, including nearly 21,500 out-of-state guests who needed essentials like lodging, car rentals and meals during the festival,” Warnock wrote in a letter he sent to Sundance leaders today (read the full letter below). “Georgia is uniquely positioned to support the festival’s growth and welcome all of its guests.”

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In April, Sundance announced it was beginning the process of potentially leaving Park City and Utah after more than 40 years for a new location that would begin after the 2026 festival. As Deadline exclusively reports, following our exclusive report last year on the relocation plans, about 15 jurisdictions have thrown their hats in the ring, with Sundance’s decision expected this fall and to be made public at next year’s festival.

“The Sundance Institute is currently conducting an honest and comprehensive evaluation of all potential partners,” a spokesperson for the institute told Deadline today. “We will announce the next step in our process once the evaluation process is complete.”

For Warnock, where a potential partner should come from is already as clear as morning in Georgia.

DEADLINE: Senator, there are three metropolises in the Peach State vying for the Sundance Film Festival. I know you represent the entire state, but honestly, who do you think might have the advantage?

SENATOR RAPHAEL WARNOCK: Well, I think the fact that you have not one, not two, but three cities in Georgia competing for Sundance is an indicator of what we’ve done here in Georgia. This highlights the arc of Georgia’s history, an evolution in the entertainment, economic and cultural spheres that makes all of these cities formidable competitors in this effort.

Georgia is a great place to tell a great story. People have been doing this for a long time.

We have the infrastructure to support Sundance. As a senator from all of Georgia, I’m thrilled to see it in any of these three cities.

DEADLINE: As previously reported, it appears that the Sundance Institute has accepted offers from more than a dozen locations for a potential 2027 move. But some say it’s a dog and pony show, and Sundance actually wants the state of Utah to allocate more money to keep the festival going. What’s your opinion on this with Georgia making triple bids?

WARNOCK: I can say that people know that Georgia is a powerhouse in the film industry.

I was on the West Coast a while back when I was campaigning, and at a meeting there, literally, a high-ranking official from California, whose name I won’t mention, but I’m sure you know, asked me in a moment of inattention, “What could California do to keep Georgia from eating their lunch?”

DEADLINE: I think I know who this high-ranking official from California is…

WARNOCK: (laughter) Yeah, and I told him I’m not going to help him with that. So what I’m telling you is that Georgia is a serious player in any serious conversation about where to hold this film festival.

DEADLINE: You talked about the advantages that the state offers in terms of infrastructure, in terms of amenities, of course…

WARNOCK: And the busiest airport in the world.

DEADLINE: …Atlanta has become Hollywood South. So let’s focus on the great city of Atlanta. How do you envision Sundance 2027 taking place in Atlanta if you win the bid?

WARNOCK: Oh, listen, I won’t fall for this bait (laughter).

I live in Atlanta. I was born and raised in Savannah. Athens is a very charming city, home to the University of Georgia and the Bulldogs. All of Georgia will welcome the Sundance Festival. I hope the folks at Sundance will be clear enough to recognize that it would be in their best interest to bring the festival to Georgia.

DEADLINE: As you know, Utah is making a concerted effort to keep Sundance in the state. Park City isn’t the only one trying to stop Sundance. It’s Park City, it’s Salt Lake City and the surrounding area. Do you think this is something that could work for Georgia offers?

WARNOCK: I will allow people who can directly engage in this to operate in this lane. But we are a big country. So you know the geography is different from Utah.

But you know, when the Super Bowl came here in 2019, it helped the whole state. When FIFA brings the World Cup here in a few years, the whole state will participate. And I think it will be no different if Sundance comes to Athens, Savannah or Atlanta.

DEADLINE: So, with this senator in mind, who do you see as your biggest competitor for Georgia to take over Sundance?

WARNOCK: Dominic, there is no serious competition for offers from Georgia.

DEADLINE: Spoken like a true son of the Peach State, Senator Warnock. I have to ask you, since it happened in your hometown, last night was the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and the struggling Joe Biden. What do you think about what we saw?

WARNOCK: I hate to admit it, but I almost forgot how much Donald Trump lies. This man stood on stage and lied for 90 minutes straight.

He even lied that he tried to take credit for something I did with the president, which was to keep insulin costs low for seniors. He is a clear and present danger to our democracy. He is a plague on the American conscience, and we must make sure he does not get into the Oval Office.

Here is Warnock’s letter to the Sundance Institute:

It is my pleasure to write this letter to encourage full and fair consideration of Georgia’s three applications to host the 2027 Sundance Film Festival.

Emerging as the “Hollywood of the South,” Georgia is the modern epicenter of visual storytelling. Our picturesque landscapes, diverse cities and warm and hospitable people have created the backdrop for countless films and television series, captivating audiences around the world and bringing stories to life. Georgia’s history and evolution into an entertainment, economic and cultural powerhouse attracts a renowned event like the Sundance Film Festival to make our great state its new home.

More than 86,000 people attended the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, including nearly 21,500 out-of-state visitors who needed basic necessities such as lodging, car rentals and food during the festival. Georgia is uniquely positioned to adapt to the development of the festival and welcome all visitors. The state successfully hosted the Super Bowl in 2019 and will soon host multiple matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including the semi-final match. Georgia boasts strong aviation and transportation infrastructure, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest airport that can welcome visitors from around the world.

In addition, Georgia’s film and television workforce is growing rapidly. Productions are increasingly drawn to the state, with institutions like Savannah College of Art and Design and the University of Georgia preparing the next generation of film workers. In fact, in 2023, film and television producers spent $4.1 billion in Georgia on nearly 400 films, television shows, commercials and music videos. Film and television production companies have also invested millions of dollars in production facilities and theaters across the state. Hosting the Sundance Film Festival in Georgia will showcase the state’s significant contributions to the film industry and provide an unparalleled opportunity to strengthen connections between independent filmmakers, industry professionals and audiences.

I encourage full and fair consideration of applications to host the Sundance Film Festival in Georgia.