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EXCLUSIVE: Troma Entertainment, the longest-running independent film studio globally, and purveyors of such cult classic, self-professed “schlock” cinematic fare as The Toxic Avenger, Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D., Class of Nuke ‘Em High, and Surf Nazis Must Die, will be holding its 28th Annual TromaDance Film Festival in Boulder, Colorado as parallel programming during the 2027 Sundance Film Festival.

After a lengthy search for a larger and more accessible location beyond its original roots in Park City, Utah to host their 46-year-old independent film festival, the operators of Sundance announced in March that they will hold their 2027 installment in Boulder, with a contract said to last 10 years.

The 2027 TromaDance, free to attend and free to submit projects for filmmakers interested in having their cinematic works screened, will be the first to be held in Boulder or Colorado.

“Troma and Boulder are centers of art and truth,” said Troma co-founder and president Lloyd Kaufman, adding, “Toxie [the Toxic Avenger] says, ‘I know that Boulder citizens will raise their big, hard mops for the 28th annual all-free TromaDance Film Festival.’”

Although further details are forthcoming closer to the 2027 TromaDance itself, the proceedings will be hosted by Boulder-based Mighty Fudge Studios, with facilities located in both the NoBo (North Boulder) arts district and Boulder’s downtown area adjacent to the city’s main thoroughfare, the Pearl Street Mall where the majority of Sundance’s screenings and activities will take place.

“As Boulder’s infamous animation renegades, we’re hard as rocks to be hosting the legendary Lloyd Kaufman and TromaDance at both of our facilities in Boulder during Sundance 2027,” said Mighty Fudge’s Patrick Mallek.

Just as the Sundance Institute has its own connections to Boulder via its founder Robert Redford having attended the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) and having worked at the still-operating The Sink restaurant nearby campus, Troma also has firm links to the mile-high region.

Most notably, South Park creators, former CU students, and nearby natives Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s debut feature film Cannibal! The Musical was distributed by Troma. Both Parker and Stone are considered protégés of Kaufman, having worked with the long heralded indie film maverick on multiple future projects, such as 1999 horror/comedy Terror Firmer.

Vinegar Syndrome, a cult/horror film restoration and releasing company that distributes many of Troma’s films on video and Blu-ray, enjoys a longtime base in Denver, where the long-running Colorado Festival of Horror (COFOH) also takes place as a frequent partner of Troma’s. Additionally, the Talkin’ Troma podcast is produced by Loudspeaker Studios, located in neighboring college town Fort Collins.

It was in 1994 that, after its rejection by Sundance, Cannibal! was shown at a rented space as counterprogramming during that year’s film festival by Parker and Stone. The “underground” screening led to young filmmaking duo becoming a cause célèbre, ultimately leading shortly thereafter to the creation of South Park.

Kaufman’s sideline view of this successful process inspired him to produce and host the first TromaDance Film Festival in 1999, also held in rented spaces in Park City as counterprogramming during Sundance each year. More recently, TromaDance has become a nomadic gala held in a variety of cities around the country, funded in large part by fan- produced Tromapalooza musical concerts and live entertainment events.

Coincidentally founded—by Detroit native and transplant Mallek—the same year as TromaDance, Mighty Fudge Studios is Boulder’s premiere animation studio. Early contributors to the animation slate at the SxSW Film Festival and longtime, award-winning stalwarts of Spike & Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation, Mighty Fudge and Mallek are best known for their 2003 award-winning animated short My First Boner, a musical parody of Schoolhouse Rocks! educational cartoons.

Mallek was also the first filmmaker to animate Spike and Mike themselves, regularly provided promotional materials for the Twisted Festival of Animation, and was a producer of animation for the 2020 Spike and Mike feature-length documentary Animation Outlaws.

“Troma and Mighty Fudge together?” said Mighty Fudge’s Mallek. “About f-ing time!”

Kaufman is currently completing work on his latest feature film, The Positive Power of Murder, a “Tromatic” adaptation of Crime and Punishment. He is also featured in protégé James Gunn’s upcoming Superman reboot, and is executive producer of Macon Blair’s The Toxic Avenger reimagining, starring Peter Dinklage as the eponymous beloved mutant monster hero. Blair’s The Toxic Avenger will be released by Cineverse in theaters on August 29.

Produced by Andrew L. Miller and The Positive Power of Murder star Adam Peltier, Troma will shortly be releasing Mr. Melvin, a reworking of 1989’s infamously ill-fated The Toxic Avenger Part II and Part III as one combined film closer in vision to Kaufman’s initial vision. Troma’s additional recent creative machinations include a reboot of The Toxic Avenger comic book series by Ahoy Comics and a reboot of The Toxic Crusaders video game by Retroware.

Directed by Kaufman’s daughter Lily-Hayes Kaufman, Troma is also proud to soon be releasing feature documentary Occupy Cannes about the studio’s storied and controversial presence over the past few decades at the Cannes Film Festival. Occupy Cannes will premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival (July 31).

This past January, Kaufman was the subject of University of Mississippi Press’s long- running Conversations With Filmmakers book series. Lloyd Kaufman:Interviews. was edited by pop culture historian, filmmaker, and longtime Boulder film/media community gadabout Mathew Klickstein who will also be co-producing the 2027 TromaDance with Mallek, Mighty Fudge Studios, and Troma.

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Saturday, July 26, 2025
CONTACT:
Andrew Miller / andrew@troma.com Jeff Newelt / jahfurry@gmail.com