This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Consider the two most basic ways of approaching attendance at the Sundance Film Festival: with preparation and without. For those local film lovers who haven't yet secured tickets, we're here to help.
Box-office tango
Every morning at 8, Sundance releases a limited number of tickets to the day's screenings at the Park City and Salt Lake City box offices. Just as the early bee gets the nectar, the most prompt buyer gets the tickets. Note: Tickets for the first screening of the day are released the day before.
We'll always have the wait-list
If you miss the 8 a.m. visit, try the trusty wait-list. Two hours before each showing (or one hour before the day's first screening), wait-list numbers are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.
You can leave, but be sure to return at least 30 minutes before the screening begins to line up by number to see if you're fortunate enough to be admitted. A wait-list number is only valid for one ticket, so each member of your party will need his or her own wait-list ticket.
Also, bring cash: $15 for each ticket; at the venues, festival representatives can't accept checks or credit cards.
Why size (theater size, that is) matters
Remember: Most Sundance theaters seat fewer than 300 people, except for the Eccles, which seats 1,270, so logic suggests you've got a better chance to get on a wait-list there. Alternatively, you could test your luck at venues with multiple screens, such as Redstone or Holiday Village Cinemas, or in Salt Lake City at the Broadway Centre Cinemas.
Whichever theater you choose, I'd recommend staying there the entire day. When it's quantity you're after, traveling from one theater to another takes up precious time.