DLT-sponsored film festival celebrates digital creativity, winter culture

What began as a grassroots film festival led by University of Utah students has grown into a signature campus event boasting more films, more sponsors, and the need for a bigger event space.

“It takes a dedicated team of people to start something like the Snowdance Student Film Festival from the ground up,” said Tony Sams, manager for the Learning Experience team in UIT Digital Learning Technologies (DLT).

The DLT-sponsored film festival— “a nod to our local winter culture and the Sundance spirit,” said Sams, who’s also a Deer Valley Ski Resort ski instructor — is a reimagined version of DLT’s former Winter Sports Film Festival. The third annual event, which celebrates student filmmakers capturing the beauty and excitement of winter sports in Utah, culminates in a film festival from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. March 27, 2026, at the auditorium in the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.

Organizers emphasize that Snowdance aligns with President Taylor Randall’s Impact 2030 initiative, particularly around digital fluency and experiential learning.

“This isn’t just fun — it ties into what we’re doing academically,” Sams said. “We’ll be teaching workshops on filmmaking and technology twice a month at Adobe Creative Commons at Kahlert Village, focusing on how Adobe products can make films more impactful and professional. Filmmaking is a great way for students to show off their creativity and digital skills.”

Please visit the festival’s webpage to learn more about eligibility requirements and submission guidelines.

Adobe Creative Consultant Tyler Willis, a graphic design major, created the festival’s new branding, which features a logo combining a snowflake and film frame. The tagline, “Respect the Send,” embodies the festival’s ethos. In skiing, “send” means to commit to a difficult, steep, or large feature like a cliff or challenging run, often with speed and aggression.

“It doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s about going for it and getting it done,” Willis said.

Willis said the festival aspires to be accessible to filmmakers at every level.

“We want people to embrace their authenticity. We can help make the films look polished, as long as it doesn’t detract from the filmmakers’ unique perspectives.”

Snowdance Director and Organizer Jeb Dean, who has worked alongside Sams for three years to bring the festival to life, said “it’s exciting to see this event scale.”

“It’s grown every year. We hope that trajectory continues,” Dean said.

This year’s film festival is sponsored by Adobe, One Love Ski & Snowboard Club, Park City Signworks, Ski UtahUtah Film Center and its Artist Foundry, Wasatch Ski and Snowboard, and Woodward Park City.

 

Node 4 Search