After the nominations for the 83rd Academy Awards were announced, Peter Knegt of indieWire wrote "As made evident last week, the Sundance Film Festival can be a significant launching pad for Oscar nominees."

[2] Winter's Bone, which won the Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic and Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, was nominated for 4 Oscars: Best Picture, Jennifer Lawrence for Best Actress, John Hawkes as Best Supporting Actor, and Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini for Best Adapted Screenplay.

The Kids Are All Right, which screened in the Premieres category, was nominated for 4 Oscars: Best Picture, Annette Bening for Best Actress, Mark Ruffalo for Best Supporting Actor, and Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg for Best Original Screenplay.

Dramatic Competition, was nominated for 1 Oscar: Michelle Williams for Best Actress.

Animal Kingdom, which won the World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic, was nominated for 1 Oscar: Jacki Weaver for Best Supporting Actress.