It is that time of year again! DOCUTAH, an international documentary film festival, is hosting several exciting documentaries this year. Most notably, “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story”, a documentary following actor Christoper Reeve through his journey from nobody to Superman as well as his super passion advocating for disability rights and care following his paralyzing accident. Come see amazing films, participate in classes, and cheer on the winners of the festival!
DOCUTAH runs from February 26 through 28 at the Megaplex Theatres at Sunset, St. George, Utah. Over the course of three days, there will be classes and film blocks (which are followed by a 15 minute question and answer session). The classes are open to the public while the films require purchased tickets (though students are free with valid ID).
It all kicks off on Thursday, February 26, with a DOCTalk Masterclass at 9 in the morning. Each class involves a special screening followed by a discussion with the visiting filmmakers. They are open to the public and completely free, plus you can grab a cup of coffee to enjoy during the class. The two screenings are “Remnants” and “Before the Moon Falls”. The former is about “When a devastating wildfire ravages their land, a sixth-generation ranching family grapples with the legacy of the American cowboy in the face of government policies that threaten their livelihood and a changing culture that brands their lifestyle a thing of the past.” The latter is described as “…an intimate portrait of acclaimed Samoan writer Sia Figiel eight years in the making when tragedy struck. Now the film offers an in-depth and thought-provoking look at Sia’s tumultuous journey leading to that traumatic moment, illuminating the complexities of inconsistently treated mental illness and the devastating toll it can exact on individuals, families and entire communities.” These free classes are hosted in the Holland Centennial Commons and Library building on Utah Tech University campus on the fifth floor in the Zions Bank Room.
Throughout the rest of DOCUTAH, the 31 feature films and 26 short films can be enjoyed at the Megaplex Theatre. A truly cinematic experience! Make sure you buy your tickets (or bring your valid student ID) and your popcorn to settle in for a good series of shows. The viewings are organized into blocks, some films playing simultaneously in different theatres within the Megaplex, followed by 15 minute Q&A sessions. The films, all documentaries, highlight various stories. Some are about the arts, such as “An American Storyteller: The Art of Arnold Friberg”, about the life and legacy of the iconic illustrator, “About Face”, about Two Asian American dancers trying to persuade the world’s leading ballet companies to jettison Asian stereotypes, and “Oh Yeah”, the story behind Swiss-founded electronic music group Yello. Others cross America and the globe to follow the extraordinary stories of ordinary people, such as “The President’s Tailor” with Martin Greenfield who went from mending Gestapo shirts in Auschwitz to suiting US presidents, “Among Thieves” going with an archaeologist infiltrating the black market in China, and “Ranger of the North” of a retiring park ranger journeying the Alaskan wilderness, inspired by “The Lord of the Rings”. A few focus on the Utah environment, such as “What the River Knows” about the Colorado River, “SLC Comb” on the relationship between bees and humans, and “Secrets of the Great Salt Lake” journeying back through time of how it came to be. Others highlight the struggle and triumph of sports, from “Rising Phoenix: A New Revolution” following the lives of Paralympic athletes to “Driven by Angels” following Vaughn Shafer working to reclaim his title as fastest man on a motorized skateboard to “Better Up There” of Léo Slemett’s battle through the Freeride (Skiing) World Tour to “Legend Has It: The Remarkable Rise of Stephen McCain” of his dreams to Olympic triumphs. Interestingly, two films deal with the long-term effects of the US’s bombs. Short film “Fallout & Flowers” explores the effects of nuclear testing in a southern Utah filmmaker’s family while feature film “Atomic Echoes” ventures into how the the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings impacted two friends’ families on opposite sides of the war, in Japan and America. On Friday, there’s even a block dedicated to showcasing student short films! There are so many other fascinating films showing. Take a peek at which ones you would like to see and plan accordingly.
It is certain to be a super festival you do not want to miss out on! For more information, head on over to https://docutah.com/
by Allyson Twitchell, Marketing Coordinator for the College of the Arts