Is Sundance really welcome in London?

The Sundance Film Festival: you have to pack moonboots, parka and thermals. The showcase for independent films, whose public face since its inception in 1978 has been Robert Redford, takes place each January in Utah. In April of next year it is setting up a new branch in the moonboot-free environment of the 02 Arena in London.

Sundance London won’t confine itself to the movies. The multi-disciplinary four-day event will include not only screenings but also live music and discussions. One imagines that other festival directors in London will welcome it through gritted teeth. Raindance – an entirely independent venture – was set up 19 years ago by Elliot Grove to champion low-budget films. The London Film Festival is also an autumn fixture. Other smaller film festivals crop up all over the calendar. If you look in theartsdesk's What’s On diary you’ll find details of the Italian film festival, the Pan Asia film festival, the Bird’s Eye View film festival and the Kinoteka 9 Polish film festival, all in London. And that’s just in March.

His festival was set up to support independent film-makers in America. When he comes over here next year, is the Sundance Kid going to take up too much of the available oxygen?