This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A regular reporter at the Sundance Film Festival is skipping the Park City event this year.
David Poland, founder and editor of the movie-industry website Movie City News, announced on his site this weekend that he's not attending the 2014 edition next month — over what he calls a matter of respect.
Poland said his decision came after he requested a Press Express pass — the highest level of press credential at the festival, one that allows the bearer into pretty much every screening and event with little hassle.
After his request, Poland writes, "I was given the boilerplate answers… all of which indicated to me that I would not be getting one. No personal explanation or excuses. Same old stuff, albeit directly from someone who I thought I was a little friendly with. And indeed, there was none forthcoming. […]
"So… I could have just soldiered through, dropping another $20k+ on another year of covering a festival that doesn't really much care whether I am there or not. Or I could skip it."
Too bad. Poland's one of the hardest-working journalists at Sundance, and adds a voice that's skeptical where necessary without being reflexively snarky.
— Sean P. Means