Sundance Film Festival Atmosphere - H 2014
AP ImagesThe Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday announced a partnership with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to host an exclusive, invite-only cocktail party celebrating the films, filmmakers and talent of the upcoming Sundance Film Festival.
The Next Gen at Sundance bash will take place Friday, Jan. 23, at O.P. Rockwell (268 Main St., Park City).
Read more Hollywood Reporter Launches New Online Awards-Season Experience
The party coincides with the launch of a collaboration between the Sundance Film Festival and THR, which will be the official industry media publication of the fest through 2017, replacing Entertainment Weekly.
Co-hosted by Janice Min, co-president and chief creative officer of Guggenheim Media’s Entertainment Group, which owns THR, and Theo Kingma, president of HFPA, the event will include A-list celebrities, top-tier Hollywood talent and key industry players.
Related Stories
Read more Sundance: Edgar Wright, Cary Fukunaga, Winona Ryder to Serve as Jurors
“Sundance Film Festival is by now more than a film festival,” Min said. “It’s one of the year’s first agenda-setting moments for Hollywood and the entertainment industry. We are thrilled to partner with the HFPA just days after their Golden Globes conclude as the organization begins the process of recognizing the potential contenders for the following year.”
In conjunction with the reception, sponsored by American Airlines, THR will publish its inaugural Next Gen Actors list, honoring a group of breakthrough talent age 35 and under.
Read more Hollywood Reporter Wins Best Publication, Website at National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards
The news comes two days after the HFPA held its 72nd annual Golden Globes, hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and watched by more than 19 million viewers.
“Having a presence at the Sundance Film Festival allows us a window into the future of entertainment,” Kingma said. “We are excited to celebrate with the talented industry members in attendance alongside the premier media industry brand.”
As the official industry media publication of the Sundance Film Festival through 2017, THR will have access to festival activities, offering up-to-the-minute coverage of the events to its online and print audiences.
Read more Sundance Adds Jonah Hill-James Franco Drama ‘True Story’ to Lineup
THR has long hosted a newsroom at the festival, presented an eclectic mix of events and provided reviews of every movie by the THR critic team led by Todd McCarthy.
It also comes on the heels of THR relaunching its website amid record-breaking traffic. The updated design and advanced mobile/tablet experience came as the leading entertainment outlet recently hit a record-breaking 17 million monthly unique visitors, according to comScore.
In November, THR won 14 awards, including best entertainment publication and best website, at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. Other recent accolades include an Emmy win for The Hollywood Reporter in Focus: The Wolf of Wall Street.
