Sundance 2027 Guide
Sundance Film Festival Glossary: Terms First-Time Visitors Need to Know
Sundance program guides, ticketing pages, and press materials use festival-specific terms that are not always defined for first-time attendees. This page collects the ones visitors ask about most, grouped by category, using only terminology Sundance Institute itself has used in past festivals or has confirmed for the 2027 edition.
Ticket and Pass Terms
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Award Winner screening | A repeat screening added after a film has already won a jury or audience award, scheduled to meet demand that the original slots could not cover. |
| Waitlist | A digital line for a screening that has sold out. Sundance releases a share of held-back seats to waitlisted ticket holders shortly before the film starts. |
| Package | A bundle of tickets or vouchers purchased together, typically at a lower per-film cost than buying single tickets, redeemed for specific screenings once the schedule is released. |
| Voucher | A credit that can be exchanged for a ticket to a specific screening once the schedule is announced, rather than a ticket to a named film purchased in advance. |
| Credential | An accreditation badge issued to press, industry, or accepted volunteers that grants entry to venues under different rules than a public ticket or pass. |
Screening and Premiere Terms
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| World Premiere | The first public screening of a film anywhere, a designation Sundance uses heavily in its program guide to flag films debuting at the festival. |
| Encore screening | An additional showing of a film added later in the festival, often in a larger venue, to accommodate audience demand beyond the original scheduled slots. |
| Q&A | A moderated conversation with the filmmaker or cast held immediately after a screening, common at Sundance premieres and listed on the individual film page. |
| Rush line | A standby line at the venue for people without a ticket, who may be let in if seats remain unclaimed close to showtime. |
Competition and Section Terms
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| US Dramatic Competition | The flagship juried category for American narrative feature films, one of the sections Sundance has run every year and is expected to continue in Boulder. |
| US Documentary Competition | The juried category for American documentary features, judged separately from the dramatic competition. |
| World Cinema | Competition and showcase sections for dramatic and documentary features from outside the United States. |
| NEXT | A section historically used for innovative, lower-budget, and boundary-pushing films outside the main competitions. |
| Midnight | The late-night program section for horror, genre, and provocative films. |
| Premieres | A non-competitive section for high-profile films, often with recognizable casts, screened outside the juried categories. |
Awards Terms
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Grand Jury Prize | The top juried award in the US Dramatic and US Documentary competitions. |
| Audience Award | An award decided by ballots collected from festival attendees rather than a jury. |
| Directing Award | A juried award recognizing direction, given separately within each competition category. |
| Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award | A juried award for screenwriting within the US Dramatic Competition, named for screenwriter Waldo Salt. |
| Oscar qualifying | A term used when a festival win or selection satisfies part of the eligibility rules the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sets for Oscar consideration. Sundance has held qualifying status for short film categories in past years. |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sundance 2027 the same competition sections as previous years?
Sundance Institute has not published the full 2027 program structure yet. Past festivals used the sections described above, and this page will be updated once the 2027 lineup and any section changes are officially announced.
What is the difference between a pass and a ticket package?
A pass generally grants broader access across many screenings for a set period, while a package is a bundle of individual tickets or vouchers redeemed for specific films once the schedule is released. Exact 2027 pass and package options had not been announced as of this update.
Does Oscar qualifying mean a film is guaranteed a nomination?
No. Oscar qualifying only means the film meets one of the Academy eligibility requirements, such as a festival win in an eligible category. It does not guarantee a nomination, which still goes through the full Academy voting process.
Cited on this page
- Sundance Institute, festival program archives and section descriptions from prior years
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, short film qualifying festival rules
Last verified: September 9, 2026. Sources: Sundance Institute past program guides, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Related reading: our tickets guide, 2027 schedule, and dates and location page.