Director Padraic McKinley and actor Julia Jones will join in person for an extended introduction
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — August 18, 2026 — Sundance Film Festival is bringing a film from its 2026 festival lineup to Fort Collins for a special advance screening of The Weight, with director Padraic McKinley and actor Julia Jones appearing in person for the August 31 event at The Lyric’s outdoor screen. Tickets are $12 and are available now through The Lyric.
The screening, presented by Sundance Film Festival and The Lyric, in partnership with ACT Human Rights Film Festival, Best of Fests Colorado, Colorado State University’s College of Liberal Arts, and Visit Fort Collins, with thanks to Vertical Entertainment, offers Northern Colorado audiences a chance to experience the film that premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and hear directly from members of its creative team before its theatrical release on September 18.
In The Weight, Samuel (Ethan Hawke) is torn from his daughter and sent to a brutal prison, where Warden Clancy (Russell Crowe) offers him a high-stakes proposition: smuggle gold out of a remote mine with a dangerous crew of prisoners in exchange for his freedom.
McKinley has edited 16 feature films and over 200 episodes of television including Kingdom, American Gods, and Poker Face. He will be joined by Jones, known for her work in Twilight, The Mandalorian, and Dexter: New Blood, for the Fort Collins appearance. Sundance Institute staff will also be on hand for the special event.
The screening comes at an exciting moment for Sundance Institute and for Colorado’s independent film community. Beginning in 2027, Sundance Film Festival will make Boulder its new home, with the 2027 Festival taking place January 21–31. The Fort Collins screening offers Northern Colorado audiences an opportunity to connect with Sundance Institute and its filmmakers as the Festival begins a new chapter in Colorado.
For Colorado State University’s ACT Human Rights Film Festival, the screening is also a natural extension of its work connecting Northern Colorado audiences with independent films, filmmakers, and the conversations they inspire. ACT will celebrate its 12th annual festival April 1–4, 2027, bringing four days of films and conversations to Fort Collins.
EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: Advance screening of The Weight, with an extended introduction featuring director Padraic McKinley and actor Julia Jones
WHEN: Monday, August 31, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. MT | Doors at 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Lyric, 1209 N. College Ave., Fort Collins, Colorado 80524
PRESENTED BY: Sundance Film Festival and The Lyric, in partnership with ACT Human Rights Film Festival, Best of Fests Colorado, Colorado State University’s College of Liberal Arts, and Visit Fort Collins, with thanks to Vertical Entertainment
TICKETS: $12 at The Lyric