What was the situation of the independent film producers?

[24] Independent film producers were once on the fringes of the movie industry, struggling to have their works seen in small theaters and rented halls.  The Sundance Festival has helped change all that by giving independent films recognition and all-important exposure. The Sundance festival and the Slamdance Festival, which takes place at the same time, have put Park City, Utah on the Hollywood map. [25]Every January, this ski resort with a population of about 7,000 hosts more than double that number of people who come to the festivals.