Aubree B. Jennings and Jillian Smukler
39 minutes ago
When Hollywood lands in Utah for the Sundance Film Festival, it's showtime.
Over 80,000 people attended the film festival last year, including some well-known celebrities. This year stars like Christopher Nolan, Pedro Pascal and Kristen Stewart are in Utah for the festival – but how did they arrive unnoticed?
Some celebrities fly to Salt Lake City, where they are greeted by paparazzi and crowds, but others try to stay out of the spotlight until they walk the red carpet.
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These VIPs usually choose to land at Heber Valley Airport because it is closest to the festival and only private planes can land there. The airport's maintenance director, Jeff Dowling, said the airport has attracted “a wide variety” of people over the years, from Hillary Clinton to Paris Hilton.
Nadim Abuhaidar, owner of OK3 AIR, the private aviation company based at the airport, says on a normal day there are between 10 and 15 arrivals, but during the film festival that number jumps to 50 a day and every year it gets busier.
As the festival grows, staff say so does the demand for vacation homes and somewhere to park your private plane. Heber Valley is small by airport standards and only has one runway, making the influx of visitors a challenge.
Even though it may be chaotic, airport staff are able to handle it thanks to their years of experience in dealing with stressful situations with the same team.
Since pilots don't have to tell the airport when they want to land, the staff has to be prepared for anything. However, Heber Valley Airport has created an ideal system for those who want to feel inconspicuous.
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“They can park the aircraft, land in the back of their transport and be transported away within seconds,” Abuhaidar said.
Due to tight airport security, it is difficult to see which stars are flying in for the film festival. The drivers responsible for working with the well-known personalities pick them up and bring them discreetly to the festival. They are typically assigned to a specific film and work with that team throughout the week.
One of those drivers, Wendy Swann, says there are some benefits to driving the celebrities. She said that at interviews or events, stars sometimes get swag that they can't fit in their luggage and give it to her in return.
“Over the years, I have purchased a Canada Goose coat worth about $800 and a Tiffany crystal bowl,” Swann said.
Regardless, she said it's important to remember that attending events like the Sundance Film Festival is just another part of celebrities' jobs.
Swann added: “They are normal, everyday people who have a job to do like everyone else.”
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