Published: : January 29, 2026, 04:28 PM
The Sundance Film Festival this year has unfolded against a backdrop of political anger and public grief, as filmmakers, audiences, and celebrities used the event to protest the actions of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the fatal shooting of a Minnesota man.
The protests come after the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, who was shot dead by ICE agents on Saturday during a confrontation in Minnesota. Pretti’s death occurred just two weeks after another fatal ICE shooting in the state, that of 37-year-old Renee Good, intensifying national scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement practices.
Video footage circulating online shows Pretti attempting to assist people near ICE agents during a protest. He is seen being forced to the ground and shot multiple times within seconds. Authorities have described the incident as an act of self-defense, a claim supported publicly by President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. However, no evidence has been presented indicating that Pretti was armed, and footage suggests he was unarmed and restrained at the time of the shooting.
Pretti’s parents released a statement expressing grief and anger, accusing the administration of spreading falsehoods to justify their son’s killing. Similar language was used by officials following the death of Renee Good, further fueling criticism from civil rights groups and activists.
These events cast a long shadow over Sundance, which is being held for the final time in Park City, Utah. Founded by Robert Redford, the festival is set to relocate to Boulder, Colorado, next year. While tributes to Redford and Park City were expected to dominate this edition, current events quickly took center stage.
Festivalgoers organized a protest titled “Sundancers Melt ICE,” during which crowds chanted slogans such as “Love Melts ICE” while honoring the memories of Good and Pretti. Actor Elijah Wood was among those who attended the demonstration. Speaking to Deadline, Wood said the killings were deeply disturbing and contradicted the unifying spirit of Sundance. He described the festival as a place meant to bring people together through shared stories, not division.
Protest actions extended beyond organized rallies. Several high-profile figures wore anti-ICE pins reading “ICE OUT” on red carpets and at screenings. Natalie Portman and Olivia Wilde were among those displaying the message. Portman told Deadline that the current situation in the United States was “horrific,” condemning federal authorities for what she described as inhumane conduct while praising ordinary people for showing solidarity.
Other industry voices echoed similar concerns. Edward Norton, quoted by The Hollywood Reporter, criticized what he described as the normalization of violence against civilians, questioning how such actions could coexist with everyday cultural events. In an interview with The Times, Norton said extrajudicial violence had become alarmingly frequent and warned against treating it as background noise.
Documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney emphasized the importance of visual evidence, describing the footage from Minnesota as proof of what he called state-sponsored violence. Meanwhile, filmmaker Kogonada addressed the issue directly during a screening of his film Zi, invoking Roger Ebert’s idea of cinema as an “empathy machine.” He argued that, particularly in moments of darkness, art must deepen collective humanity rather than retreat from reality.
As Sundance draws to a close in Park City, the festival has once again underscored its long-standing role not only as a showcase for independent cinema, but also as a forum for political expression and moral reckoning.
