Sundance Short Film Tour to Return to 815HORTS Film Festival for Fifth-Straight Year

Plus Seven Company (P7c) announced today that the 2026 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour, presented by Ketel One, is headed back to Rockford for the fifth-consecutive year. As a featured highlight of the fifth annual 815HORTS Film Festival, which is scheduled for November 13-14, 2026, the return of the Sundance Shorts Tour marks the second major 815HORTS announcement this month.

A curated collection of six standout short films from this year’s Festival, including three Festival Award–winning titles, the 2026 Sundance Shorts Tour (99 minutes in duration) offers a mix of stories that highlight bold perspectives and next-gen storytellers. The 2026 Tour provides a curated glimpse into the Festival’s selections, highlighting the depth of narrative possibilities explored in the short film format. For those who couldn’t attend the 2026 Sundance Film Festival — held in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, from January 22 to February 1, as well as online — this tour invites audiences across the world to experience a collection of resonant, provocative, tender, and human-centered fiction, nonfiction, and animated shorts that showcase truly dynamic independent storytelling. 

“We’re exceptionally proud to present this selection of moving, funny, and vibrant films on the Short Film Tour,” said Heidi Zwicker, Senior Programmer, Feature Films and Short Films. “The artists in this program, representing the terrific field of work at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, display great creativity and authenticity within their films’ short run times. Featuring stories from around the globe, this year’s Short Film Tour is a testament to the transportive power of short-form filmmaking.” 

In 2026, the Short Film Programmers selected 54 short films to screen at the Sundance Film Festival out of 11,480 global submissions. Every year, a collection of shorts from the Festival’s most recent program is selected for a theatrical tour of dozens of cities. The tour and the Festival are programs of Sundance Institute, a leading arts nonprofit dedicated to advancing work by and opportunities for independent creators.

“Welcoming the Sundance Short Film Tour back to Rockford is an incredible honor and a testament to the strength of the partnership we’ve built with Sundance Institute since the inception of the 815HORTS Film Festival,” said Nick Povalitis, founder of Plus Seven Company and 815HORTS. “Collaborating with globally respected institutions like Sundance not only elevates the profile of our region’s creative industry, but also creates meaningful opportunities for filmmakers and audiences to engage with world-renowned storytelling and industry expertise. These partnerships are also essential to the continued growth of Rockford as a destination for independent film.”

Rockford screening details for the 2026 Sundance Short Film Tour and the schedule for this year’s 815HORTS will be released later this year via www.815HORTS.com.

In addition to the Sundance Shorts Tour, P7c announced earlier this month that registration is live for the inaugural 5HORT Film Camp, which is scheduled for July 6-10, 2026, at Keith Country Day School in Rockford. An extension of 815HORTS and P7c’s film programs, the 5HORT Film Camp is designed for aspiring filmmakers ages 13-17 who are interested in learning how to make a short film. For more information and to register for the Camp, visit www.PlusSevenCompany.com/filmcamp.

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