The 2025 Sundance Film Festival kicked off in style with a star-packed opening night gala in Park City, Utah. Celebrities, filmmakers, and artists gathered at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, cozy in sweaters and snow boots, to celebrate the start of the iconic festival.

The evening featured a special moment as Olivia Colman presented the Visionary Award to actress Cynthia Erivo. Abby Wambach, the Olympic soccer champion, summed up the mood perfectly: "We have a word we say when we’re scared and excited — it’s ‘scited.’ That’s me right now: scited."

The gala wasn’t just about the glitz — it raised an impressive $1.5 million for the Sundance Institute, the nonprofit founded by Robert Redford that supports independent creators. Despite wildfires affecting Southern California, the festival pressed on, bringing its community together in the snowy mountains of Utah.

Guests included notable figures like legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw and filmmaker Boots Riley, who mingled with musicians and artists in the grand ballroom. With Sundance continuing to champion groundbreaking storytelling, this year’s festival promises to be one for the books.