Sundance Film Festival

Press Release

Entertainment Weekly will celebrate its 18th year as Presenting Sponsor of the Sundance Film Festival – the world’s most renowned Independent Film Festival. As in past years, Entertainment Weekly’s commitment also includes working seamlessly with the Sundance Institute to enhance the Festival and shine a light on independent film. This year, Entertainment Weekly is creating the ultimate Sundance destination – The EW LOFT – which will provide the premiere hub for filmmakers and the Hollywood community. Located at the bottom of Main Street where all points intersect, the EW LOFT consists of an exclusive two-story Daytime Lounge, the renowned EW Photo Studio and the EW.com Digital Studio.

“Entertainment Weekly and the Sundance Film Festival are longtime partners in celebrating the power of film,” said Entertainment Weekly Publisher Scott Donaton. “Through our unique editorial voice and our array of exciting programs at this year’s festival, we look forward to powerfully demonstrating our support for independent film and the art of storytelling.”

The Daytime Lounge, sponsored by L’Oreal Paris and Stella Artois, is the official media headquarters where talent are able to relax alongside other festival VIPs and Entertainment Weekly editors prior to their photo sessions and interviews. In the L’Oreal Lounge, there will be beauty touch-ups available and upstairs will house the popular health food hot spot the Urth Caffé. Sundance veterans such as Robert De Niro, Jennifer Aniston, Justin Timberlake, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sienna Miller, Sharon Stone, and Sarah Jessica Parker are just a few stars that have passed through the studio to be photographed and interviewed for Entertainment Weekly in previous years. This year, renowned photographer Chris McPherson will be snapping his camera for the pages of Entertainment Weekly and special galleries for EW.com.

In addition to the daytime elements at the EW LOFT, Entertainment Weekly is presenting several new evening events and hosting a series of intimate dinners. On January 17, Entertainment Weekly and L’Oreal Paris will present the Women of Worth “Vision” Award to a female documentary filmmaker during a private cocktail event. This event will also celebrate the world premiere of the first Women of Worth recipient Cherien Dabis’ debut film premiere Amreeka. As one of the Sundance Film Festival’s sponsors, L’Oreal Paris created the award to honor a female filmmaker whose work reflects the spirit of L’Oreal’s new Women of Worth initiative, a grassroots program that recognizes women from around the country who serve their communities, inspire others by example, and have an innate sense of social responsibility and act on it.

Entertainment Weekly will also host the after-party for the world premiere of Katalyst Media’s Spread on Saturday, January 17. Directed by David Mackenzie and starring Ashton Kutcher and Anne Heche, the film follows a handsome young man who survives in Los Angeles by seducing wealthy older women. Spread is an iconic look at the lure of sex, money, and access that Hollywood offers to the beautiful people, and the karmic price that one must ultimately pay to live that lifestyle. The Spread premiere party presented by Entertainment Weekly and Stella Artois will also be held at the EW LOFT.

Throughout the festival, Entertainment Weekly will host a number of intimate dinners and cocktail receptions to celebrate various debut films and the filmmakers at the EW LOFT.