Sundance Film Festival has canceled all in-person movie premieres and events due to the surge in the spread of the omicron variant, with the festival moving online completely, organizers announced Wednesday.
The festival takes place each year in the western U.S state of Utah and had been planning a hybrid format later this month, featuring physical events with strict health protocols and virtual screenings.
"Despite the most ambitious protocols, the omicron variant with its unexpectedly high transmissibility rates is pushing the limits of health safety, travel and other infrastructures across the country," said organizers in a statement.
"And so, today we're announcing: The festival's in-person Utah elements will be moving online this year."
Co-founded by Robert Redford, Sundance showcases the coming year's hottest independent, art-house and documentary movies.
Among the selected films this year will be "Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy," a documentary assembled from more than two decades of footage shot by Kanye West's longtime friend Clarence "Coodie" Simmons.
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival will take place from Jan. 20-30.
