PARK CITY, Utah — Two longtime friends are making the most of Sundance Film Festival's final year in Park City, celebrating a friendship that began in an unexpected classroom encounter nearly two decades ago.
Mike Wisland of Pleasant Grove and Sean Leslie of Sandy have been attending Sundance since the mid-1990s, but their paths didn't cross until 2006 during one of Wisland's audio classes at Utah Valley University.
"Just like every year, I would tell my professors, you're not gonna see me for the next few days," Leslie said. "I went up to Mike here and said, 'Hey, I'm going to be gone, what am I going to be missing?' And he's like, 'Where are you gonna be?' I'm like, Sundance. He's like, 'I'm gonna be there too!'"
That chance conversation sparked a friendship built around their shared passion for independent cinema. "And 31 years later, we're still doing it," Wisland said while waiting to see a film at The Yarrow Theatre.
The duo has accumulated a collection of Sundance memorabilia over the years, including vintage festival jackets dating back to 1998. Wisland has developed what he calls a "Sundance matrix" — a colorful chart written on a piece of paper — to help navigate the festival each year.
Between them, the friends say they've watched more than 1,500 films at Sundance over the decades. Wisland was hoping to reach his 700th film this year, while Leslie estimates he's seen around 850.
As the festival prepares to relocate to Boulder, Colorado, next year, both are embracing the change while cherishing their Park City memories. "It's been a really good run at the festival," Wisland said. "I'm looking forward to next year in Boulder."
