The Sundance Film Festival will take eight film-makers and their films from the 2010 line-up on the road to eight cities under the Sundance Film Festival USA initiative.

The event will take place on January 28 and the film-makers will be selected shortly after the festival director John Cooper unveils the programme in December. An introductory video from festival founder Robert Redford will precede each screening.

The cities and theatres are: Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Massachusetts; BAM in Brooklyn, New York; Music Box Theatre in Chicago, Illinois; the Downtown Independent in Los Angeles; Sundance Cinemas Madison in Madison, Wisconsin; The Belcourt Theatre in Nashville, Tennessee; and Sundance Kabuki Cinemas in San Francisco.

“We feel a responsibility to bring independent film-makers and films to a larger audience – so when better than during the festival itself?” Cooper said. “Components of this event have been successfully pioneered with our ongoing Art House Project and Sundance Institute at BAM, and we’re excited to be able to offer an incredible evening of programming.”

Cooper added that the North American premiere of Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross’ The Shock Doctrine will take place on January 28 in Park City in an event that is being called Sundance Film Festival USA On the Mountain.

The Sundance Film Festival is scheduled to run from January 21-31, 2010.

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