Everything You Need To Know About The Sundance Film Festival In Rockford

Adjacent to the world-renowned Sundance Institute making its Rockford, Ill., screening debut, 815HORTS, presented by the City of Rockford + Rockford Film Office, debuts as a new film showcase this weekend in downtown Rockford. Built to amplify the region’s creative and filmmaking community, the inaugural 815HORTS begins at 5 p.m. this Saturday, December 10, 2022, at the Rockford Public Library (RPL) Nordlof Center, where the 2022 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour will also be screened at 7 p.m.

Advance tickets can still be purchased at www.815HORTS.com. In addition to short film screenings, attendees will enjoy local food and drinks, live music and mingling with film community friends before a short after party. Here is what guests need to know before Saturday’s show:

• Tickets Available: General admission tickets are only $12 for adults and $6 for students with ID (under 17 requires adult supervision, no kids under 6). Attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets online ahead of time at www.815HORTS.com (though at-the-door sales will be accepted).
• Giving Back: As the Rockford Public Library (RPL) Foundation is our nonprofit partner, a portion of the event’s net proceeds will benefit the RPL Foundation’s film related youth programs!
• Seven Local Short Films: During 815HORTS, seven local short films totaling nearly one hour of runtime will be screened. Genres include suspense, comedy, documentary and more!
• First-Time Ever: Saturday night’s 2022 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour screening will mark the first time ever that the renowned Sundance Institute has granted screening rights to a Rockford-based entity (Plus Seven Company).
• Amped Ambiance: Thanks to community entertainment icons DJ Vic Monsta (spinning tunes in the lobby) and Harlan Jefferson (jazz in the theater), there will be a musically-infused ambiance for guests to enjoy.
• Free Snacks: District Bar & Grill is providing complimentary snacks for attendees!
• Drinks for Sale: To complement its snacks assortment, District Bar & Grill will also have a variety of drinks for purchase at the RPL Nordlof Center lobby bar.
• Film Friends: Many of the writers, directors and producers of the featured 815HORTS films will be in attendance, offering up a fantastic opportunity to connect with film experts.
• Post-Game: After the 2022 Sundance Short Film Tour screening concludes, the community film celebration continues at the 5HORT After-Party at Octane RKFD.

 About Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour: The 2022 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour is a 95-minute theatrical program of seven short films curated from the 2022 Sundance Film Festival short film program, including three titles that won Festival awards. Considered the premier showcase for short films and the launchpad for many now-prominent independent filmmakers, the Festival includes fiction, documentary and animation from around the world. Throughout its almost 40 years of history, the Festival has always supported short films, providing a platform for both established and new filmmakers to connect with audiences. The 2022 Short Film Tour program is a sampling of Festival offerings and a testament to the unique storytelling potential that the format holds. Audiences who missed the Sundance Film Festival – which took place online and in-person in 7 cities across the country from January 20 through January 30 this year – can enjoy a mix of fiction, documentary, and animated shorts that are funny, sad, inspirational, and full of strong characters.

The Festival’s Short Film Program has long been established as a place to discover talented directors, such as past alumni Andrea Arnold, Lake Bell, Damien Chazelle, Destin Daniel Cretton, Jay and Mark Duplass, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Debra Granik, Rashaad Ernesto Green, Reinaldo Marcus Green, Sterlin Harjo, Todd Haynes, Don Hertzfeldt, Shaka King, Lynne Ramsay, Dee Rees, Joey Soloway, Taika Waititi, and many others.