The Sundance Film Festival had always been a place where stories broke beyond the screen, and in 2026, one of the festival’s most talked-about private events fused celebrity energy with a sharp message about America’s healthcare crisis.
Kemo Sabe on Main Street, long considered one of the hottest destinations throughout the festival, hosted a star-studded private red carpet evening honoring Rachel Strauss, the nationally recognized healthcare advocate known as “The PBM Princess.” The night centered on an exclusive screening of Strauss’ revealing documentary, Side Effects May Include: The Hidden Cost of Prescription Drugs, a film that pulled back the curtain on the hidden costs of prescription drugs and the pharmacy benefit system shaping access to care across the United States.
A Red Carpet with Purpose
The event opened with celebrities stepping onto the red carpet in support of Strauss’ mission, including Brandi Glanville, Jon Gosselin, Meredith Marks, Tom Welling, and others. While Sundance was no stranger to glamorous gatherings, this one carried a stronger edge: a call for transparency in an industry that touched every American household.
Strauss, a healthcare strategist and pharmacy benefit expert, became a trusted guide for patients and public figures alike, navigating medical confusion, coverage hurdles, and runaway costs. Both Glanville and Gosselin leaned on Strauss during their own health journeys, adding a personal layer of urgency to the evening’s message.
The Film Exposing the System Behind the Curtain
The spotlight of the night, though, was Strauss’ Side Effects May Include, her healthcare project that confronted how medications were priced, covered, denied, and delivered in America.
Strauss did not mince words in addressing the stakes.
“Healthcare in America isn’t broken, it’s working exactly how it’s designed, which is not in the patient’s best interest,” she said. “Sadly, it’s a money making scheme. The more people that understand what’s happening behind the curtain, the harder it will become for big insurance carriers to get away with it.”
Her introduction set the tone for a screening that guests described as deeply human, unsettling, and necessary.
High West Cocktails, Hat Branding, and a Sundance Afterglow
True to Sundance form, the night also delivered on atmosphere. Guests enjoyed cocktails curated by High West Whiskey alongside elevated appetizers in Kemo Sabe’s signature Western luxury setting.
Reality star and DJ Jon Gosselin ignited the turntables, turning the venue into a late-night celebration after the emotional weight of the screening. Brandi Glanville shared stories of her recent medical struggles and how Strauss helped her untangle piling medical bills.
In a uniquely Park City flourish, New York Times bestselling author Allie Kingsley branded manifestations onto leather straps destined for Kemo Sabe’s iconic cowboy hats, blending intention with fashion in a way that felt distinctly Sundance.
The evening concluded with curated gift bags and gratitude for the partners who helped bring the event to life, including US Beacon, led by CEO Kimberly Carleson, alongside Evergreen Benefits, USR X Care, Preston Partners, Leafwell, Higginbotham, ISS, Integrated Payor Solutions, Sunstone Health, Swyft, and others.
Who Is the PBM Princess?
Rachel Strauss is a healthcare strategist, speaker, and pharmacy benefit expert with two decades of experience, including leadership inside a national PBM. As the founder of PBM Princess, LLC, she has advised employers, benefit coalitions, TPAs, and lawmakers on transparency-driven pharmacy programs.
Her reputation is built on one rare skill in American healthcare: translating complex systems into plain English and offering workable solutions.
A Documentary That Sparked a National Reckoning
Side Effects May Include positioned itself as a catalyst for conversation about access, affordability, and transparency in medication delivery.
Through personal stories, expert insight, and real-world consequences, it asked an uncomfortable question: who was the system truly built to serve?
And on a night where Sundance hit one of its last trail rides, Rachel Strauss ensured the spotlight was not only on glamour, but on the patients left paying the price behind the scenes. At Kemo Sabe, the hats were iconic, the guest list was dazzling, but the message was clear: this was one ride America’s healthcare system could no longer afford to take in silence.
