Users Every year, at the end of January, it seems like Austin's film scene packs its collective bags and heads to Utah for the Sundance Film Festival. This year, as the pandemic rolls on, Sundance is coming to Austin with a special series of screenings and panels presented by the festival and Austin Film Society. "It all started last summer," said Holly Herrick, AFS head of film & creative media, "when they reached out to us and said, 'Look, we're trying to reimagine the festival.'" There's a lot of history between AFS and Sundance, far beyond the annual trip many of the staff take to the mountains for a first glimpse of the new crop of American and global indie cinema. The two organizations have been collaborating for years, whether it be showing the festival's short film selections in the AFS Cinema, or helping connect Texas filmmakers with Sundance. "A lot of AFS Fellows have also gone through Sundance Institute Labs," said Herrick. "This year, that collaboration has only gotten closer."