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Sundance Film Festival — Grand Jury Prize Winners & Films

Park City, Utah · held each January

America’s foremost independent showcase. Every January the snow-bound streets of Park City host the year’s breakout indies and documentaries — the launchpad for a huge share of the films critics champion months later.

30 titles across 14 editions in our catalogue. Editions run newest first; within each edition, recorded festival winners lead, followed by Celluloid Score. Browse United States cinema on United States.

Quick Answer

What are the best Sundance films?

Sundance Film Festival is held in Park City, Utah, United States each January. Its top prize is the Grand Jury Prize. Celluloid ranks 30 films across 14 editions by Celluloid Score, with award winners first. The highest-rated Sundance film on Celluloid is Whiplash (2014) at 89%. Latest edition in the catalogue: Sundance 2026. 8 recorded festival prize winners are called out on this page.

Grand Jury Prize and other prize winners: Come See Me in the Good Light (Festival Favorite Award, 2025) , The Perfect Neighbor (Directing Award: U.S. Documentary, 2025) , A Real Pain (Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, 2024) , CODA (Grand Jury Prize, 2021) , Minari (Grand Jury Prize, 2020) , Whiplash (Grand Jury Prize, 2014) , Beasts of the Southern Wild (Grand Jury Prize, 2012) , Precious (Grand Jury Prize, 2009)

Highest-rated Sundance movies on Celluloid

All-time quality view — Celluloid Score, not jury order. For the circuit explainer see festival prizes decoded

  1. Whiplash 2014 · 89%
  2. Past Lives 2023 · 87%
  3. Flee 2021 · 87%
  4. Call Me by Your Name 2017 · 87%
  5. Come See Me in the Good Light 2025 · 86%
  6. Minari 2020 · 86%

Sundance 2026 films and winners · 5 films

Sundance 2025 films and winners · 4 films

Sundance 2024 films and winners · 7 films

Sundance 2023 films and winners · 2 films

Sundance 2021 films and winners · 2 films

Sundance 2020 films and winners · 1 film

Sundance 2019 films and winners · 1 film

Sundance 2017 films and winners · 2 films

Sundance 2016 films and winners · 1 film

Sundance 2014 films and winners · 1 film

Sundance 2012 films and winners · 1 film

Sundance 2009 films and winners · 1 film

Sundance 2006 films and winners · 1 film

Sundance 2004 films and winners · 1 film

Frequently asked questions

What is the Sundance Film Festival?

America’s foremost independent showcase. Every January the snow-bound streets of Park City host the year’s breakout indies and documentaries — the launchpad for a huge share of the films critics champion months later. It is held in Park City, Utah each January.

What is the Grand Jury Prize?

The Grand Jury Prize is the top prize of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Celluloid lists Sundance films with recorded prizes on this hub, ranked by Celluloid Score rather than jury politics.

Which films won awards at the Sundance Film Festival?

Award winners from Sundance in the Celluloid catalogue include Come See Me in the Good Light (Festival Favorite Award, 2025), The Perfect Neighbor (Directing Award: U.S. Documentary, 2025), A Real Pain (Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, 2024), CODA (Grand Jury Prize, 2021), Minari (Grand Jury Prize, 2020), Whiplash (Grand Jury Prize, 2014), Beasts of the Southern Wild (Grand Jury Prize, 2012), Precious (Grand Jury Prize, 2009).

What is the highest-rated Sundance film on Celluloid?

Whiplash (2014) leads our Sundance selection with an 89% Celluloid Score, averaged from four possible rating inputs.

How does Celluloid rank Sundance movies?

Sundance Film Festival pages group films by edition year (newest first). Inside each edition, recorded festival winners lead, then Celluloid Score (editorial, Metascore, Letterboxd, IMDb — audience separate). This is catalogue order, not an official festival ranking.