Sundance Film Festival has cancelled its 2021 drive-in screenings in Southern California as the region continues to see a record-breaking surge in coronavirus cases.
“Due to the terrible situation with the pandemic in Los Angeles, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our drive-ins in LA. We will be evaluating our other satellite screens on a case by case basis based on public health,” Sundance representatives told Deadline.
The festival, which will run from January 28 to February 3, opted for a semi-virtual option in lieu of its traditional exhibition in Park City, Utah. This year’s film lineup was set to screen films in the Utah ski town as well as on screens and drive-ins in 24 states and territories across the country.
I Was a Simple Man, May Day, Together Together, Wild Indian and Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It are just a handful of the films to hit the Sundance circuit. See the full lineup here.
The announcement comes as Los Angeles County officials identified 13,512 new coronavirus cases and 224 deaths related to the infectious disease. Incidents of the new, more contagious strain of the coronavirus have also been found throughout Southern California, from Big Bear to San Diego County.