Final Days of Masala at Sundance Film Festival 2025

There was a bit of a shift in the past two days of the festival. Many who attended the first weekend have chosen to end their visit, or are in the process of ending their visit. I can tell not only because the waiting lines are shorter but also because of the many post-Sundance Instagram posts that have taken over my feed. Main Street is no longer just open for pedestrians, which took me by surprise when a car beeped behind me as I was now accustomed to walking in the middle of the street. And a PR person emailed me already saying the following: “With the festival starting to wrap up…” 

In the past two days, I watched screenings for five movies across three different theatres. I decided on my favorite brunch spot at Park Street, and have eaten there three times. I ran into six different people I knew, all unplanned. Just when I’m starting to feel like I understand the rhythm and cadence of the festival, especially its bus routes, it is now starting to wind down. But I suppose that is how it always is—you’re overwhelmed with all the new changes at first that when the novelty finally wears off, you’ll be starting a whole new adventure. 

With that said, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to sitting in on a Sundance screening in person. The novelty of it, with its opening sequences paired with delightful cinematic instrumentals, in fact increases with every viewing. I get giddy when the festival organizer walks to the stage to introduce the movie and, if it’s a premiere or a lucky screening, the director and cast. Halfway through the movie, I always look around me to take in the view of fellow audience members who are so locked in and entranced by the screen. In fact, this morning’s first screening was at 8:30 AM, and the organizer quipped, “you all clearly love movies so much that you’re willing to wait in line before 8 AM.”

My second favorite part of the screenings is the chatter that takes place afterwards. I’ll hear friend groups share their immediate knee-jerk reaction to the film as we’re walking back out in the cold of Park City or waiting in line for the restroom. They’ll exclaim what they liked or didn’t like, who surprised them, what they were expecting, and how the movie fared with everything else they’ve seen. I’ll almost always chime in as well to ask for more thoughts, and people are always receptive to including me in their conversations. 

As the festival is beginning to wrap up, per the PR person and everyone else, I’ll be trying my best to go for every screening I can possibly attend and to spend as much time on Main Street as I can. I may even go for the brunch place for the fourth time. I’m already missing the longer lines and the beautifully chaotic scheduling of panels across Sundance houses. I know I’ll soon miss the snowy cold and the impromptu conversations as well.