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Sundance 2020 Event Recap - Compelling Conversations and Fine Dining in Park City

The first weekend of Sundance is an intense whirlwind of star-studded premieres and not to mention the hottest parties with your favorite celebs. Taylor Swift, Hillary Clinton, Post Malone, and more were in Park City to celebrate everything Sundance. From the premiere of Miss Americana, Hillary Clinton getting candid, and staying up till 3AM partying the night away at TAO - there was no shortage of entertainment.

Take a look at a few of our favorite spots during weekend one of the Sundance Film Festival!

The Vulture Spot, presented by Fire TV

Tessa Thompson Attends The Vulture Spot Presented By Amazon Fire TV at Sundance 2020. Photo Credit: Getty Images for New York Magazine

Vulture’s exclusive roving media studio The Vulture Spot returns to Sundance for a fourth year in a row. Sponsored by Amazon Fire TV and Peet’s Coffee, The Vulture Spot is expected to welcome over 250 celebrities and VIP talent from Sundance films over the course of the weekend. Fire TV’s partnership with Vulture brings The Vulture Spot’s invitation-only interview and photo studio to life, as well as a hospitality suite and public art installation by artist DEERDANA encouraging Sundance attendees to make and watch what they love. Over the weekend Tessa Thompson, Wilmer Valderrama, Alison Brie, Tyler Ferguson & Justin Mikita, Viggo Mortenson, Debby Ryan, Molly Shannon and more dropped in!

Kia Telluride Supper Suite:

Actress Alison Brie wearing a Laundry by Shelli Segal while stopping by the Kia Telluride Supper Suite while promoting her new film at the Sundance Film festival. Photo Credit: Photagonist

The Kia Telluride Supper Suite kicked off with a daily curated gifting lounge during the first weekend of Sundance! The lounge featured luxury brands including  Original Penguin, Laundry by Shelli Segal, MOU Bootsand ic! London Eyewear.  Talent  invited enjoyed drinks by Peroni, Glenfiddich, Balvenie Scotch, Hendrick's Gin, Milagro Tequila and Reyka Vodka, with cuisine by chef Chef Ryan Morrison of MARBL Toronto. Guests included: a, Sophia Lillia, Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Camila Mendes, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michelle Rodriguez, Armando Espitia, Christian Vasquez, Mirreyes Contra Godinez, Michael Angelo Covino, Gayle Rankin, Kyle Marvin, Richard Jenkins, Jonathan Bennett, Kayla Ewell, Brandi Cyrus and many, many more. Throughout the weekend the space also served up additional top-tier gatherings.

Kia Telluride Supper Suite also hosted the Creative Coalition Spotlight Initiative Awards and the annual Collider Portrait and Media Studio during the 3 day activation. Top filmmakers, actors, media and influencers  stopped in during their press circuits to conduct interviews and to take cast portraits as exclusive content on the popular entertainment site, Collider, which garners over 11 million visitors and 50 million page views monthly. 

Chase Sapphire on Main:

Photos courtesy of Evan Agostini / Invision for Chase Sapphire / AP Images

For the 10th consecutive year, Chase Sapphire opened Chase Sapphire on Main from 11AM-5PM daily for the public and host private cast panels and parties for its cardmembers, in addition to a range of events throughout the week. Chase Sapphire teamed up with The Los Angeles Times to host a series of exclusive discussions with Sundance filmmakers, actors and screenwriters, moderated by some of the outlet’s most vaunted entertainment editors. Chase Sapphire also welcomed a slew of the most-hyped celebs – such as: Lena Waithe, Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Winston Duke, Jim Gaffigan, Zazie Beetz, Bill Skarsgård, Caleeb Pinkett, Jahi Di’Allo Winston, David Rysdahl and more  over the weekend!

HBO: Our Stories to Tell:

HBO teased season 4 of “Insecure” during an exclusive dinner Saturday night! Photo Credit: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for HBO

HBO, TNT and TBS hosted Our Stories to Tell, a 3-day pop-up experience that celebrates the commitment to multicultural storytelling, creators and audiences. This multi-day event took place during the first weekend of Sundance. The event space transformed throughout the weekend to accommodate various invite-only, interactive programming that will empower and celebrate diverse voices and the creatives that bring the networks’ award-winning programming to life.

WarnerMedia Lounge:

Sarah Springer, Folake Olowofoyeku, Gina Yashere, Nkechi Okoro Carroll and Karan Kendrick attend the Women in Film Panel at Lateral at WarnerMedia Lodge: Elevating Storytelling with AT&T during Sundance Film Festival 2020 on January 25, 2020 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for WarnerMedia and AT&T )

WarnerMedia Lounge was another hot spot donning multiple events throughout the weekend. Notable events included the Bootsy Bellows Pop Up at Sundance hosted by David Arquette, HBO Films' Welcome to Chechnya Premiere Cocktail Party, TNT Presents Snowpiercer Panel & ReceptionMiracle Workers: Dark Ages Panel, WarnerMedia's Innovation Panel & Reception: The Impact of Innovation on Today’s Connected Consumer, Women in Film for the Voices & Visions: Women of Color Creating the Narrative Panel, DIRECTV Cinema’s Kickoff Party, cast lunches at our Jon & Vinny’s pop up and Variety Studio presented by AT&T.

The 13th Annual EcoLuxe Lounge:

Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson and hubby Justin Mikita (…and dad’s to be…!) were all smiles as they attended Debbie Durkin’s EcoLuxe Lounge in partnership with ABC4 News in Park City over the weekend, where the event was sponsored by Modere, Lehi Mills, and Chef Bryan Woolley. Photo credit: Tasia Wells / Getty Images for EcoLuxe Lounge

Once again Debbie Durkin produced another great lounge for Sundance. Held at TEKILA Mexican Grill & Cantina, the lounge honored the indie spirit and America's #1 film festival in partnership with ABC4 News, who hosted on-air interviews with the stars of the 2020 premieres.  The eco-friendly luxury lounge created a high-end, relaxing and five-star retreat experience where guests enjoyed food curated by Chef Bryan Woolley, and specialty sips provided by Vavoom Vodka and Utah’s own Zolupez Artisan Beer, with sounds on vinyl by DJ Corey Cresswell. Modere a worldwide, live-clean essential lifestyle brand, hosted a Lip Bar launching CellProof ® Lip Complex in support of Vitamin Angel non-profit, Lehi Mills launched their new line of vegan mixes, served up vegan pancakes all day and gave away boxes of mixes. Additional sponsors included: K-Lab Luxury CollectionDrip Hydration Park City, WANAE USA, So CupcakeMadbrook Donut Company, Shane Keil of Venus Signs Co.  and more! The event also benefitted non-profit Salt Lake Acting Company.

Wellhaus:

Frances Fisher blisses out on BRIC luggage at the Film Fatales women director’s celebration at the Wellhaus Lounge inside Old Town Cellars. Photo Credit Aaron Fedor.

WELLHAUS, the new health, wellness and CBD/cannabis-focused event platform from event industry veterans Axcess Entertainment, announced its second activation during 2020’s Sundance/Slamdance film festivals in Park City, UT in conjunction with Presenting Sponsor Erba Verde Group. Located in the heart of historic Main Street, WELLHAUS has partnered with three local venues to create a first-ever multi-location brand experience at the Festival: the WELLHAUS Spa Experience at the PuraVida Spa at Sky & Main Hotel; the WELLHAUS Café Experience offering complimentary organic coffees and healthy snacks at the Main Street Deli, and the WELLHAUS Lounge at the brand-new Old Town Cellars during the festivals’ kick-off weekend. The Wellhaus Spa will additionally offer unique health & wellness services for the duration of the festival week, through February 2nd.

Chefdance:

ChefDance Founder Mimi Kim, Martha Stewart and Michelin Chef Melissa Perello strike at pose at ChefDance 2020. Photo credit: Marco Sagliocco / Getty Images

The annual ChefDance dining series always outshines all offscreen events at Sundance Film Festival, and is one of THE hottest tickets! The 17th consecutive ChefDance took place last weekend and brought today’s top culinary masters for curated meals, entertainment, celebs and tastemakers together for five consecutive days/nights to celebrate food and film.  ChefDance 2020 also had a special daytime Social Impact Lounge with panels and lunches. Chefdance was founded in 2004 by LA couple Kenny Griswold and Mimi Kim.

Mirrored Media x UTA

Photo Courtesy of UTA.

United Talent Agency launched the UTA House at Sundance! Produced by Mirrored Media, the house served as an exclusive and invite-only destination for the agency’s clients and key partners. Over the weekend guests enjoyed beverages from Casamigos and Stella and light bites from Beyond Meat and chef’s Jon & Vinny while enjoying music from DJ Mike Deleasa.

It’s always a good time at Sundance! Click HERE for additional coverage!