Summer Showdown starts June 2. Every weekend Friday and Saturdays. Get info here. | Double the Gift for Film. Support SLFS here or join the Red Carpet Club here

 

Māsima: Pacific Islands Film Tour

May 18 - May 24

Māsima: Pacific Islands Film Tour kicks off on Thursday, May 18th, with an exciting lineup that highlights acclaimed filmmakers and emerging voices from the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

These films, touching on incredible stories of connection, traditions, resistance and much more, are curated and presented by Salt Lake Film Society, Utah Pacific Islands Knowledge 2 Action Resource and Utah Pacific Islands Film Series.

Also on the program are six pre-recorded interviews featuring Māsima 2023 filmmakers, in exciting conversations ranging from art that pushes boundaries and decolonial foodways, to animation, Pasifika culture and celebrating diversity.  All conversations moderated by The Island Wave Podcast co-host and producer, Kamaile Tripp-Harris.

Māsima 2023 is part of our annual Cultural Tours, a decade long celebration of history, culture, diversity and heritage of Utah communities.

PANELS

Available Free May 19 - May 24

Māsima 2023 Panel Conversations: Guided by our amazing moderator, Kamaile Tripp-Harris, our Māsima 2023 panel conversations are a true celebration of Pacific Islanders diversity as well as educational experiences that help create awareness and cultural connections within Pasifika filmmakers all around the world.

These FREE pre-recorded panels will be available online at SLFSathome.org. Available thru May 24.

 

Pasifika Women Filmmakers Boldly Breaking the Norm 

PANEL AVAILABLE VIRTUALLY NOW HERE

Panelists: Gabriella Brayne, Ruby Harris, Jessica Magro, Alice Lolohea.

Moderator: Kamaile Tripp-Harris

Join this group of ground-breaking Pasifika women filmmakers as they discuss what inspires them, how they use their work to promote stories sovereignty and celebrate community, and how they tear down barriers while staying true to their own voices. One of our favorite panel conversations of all times that surely will leave you wanting to follow up on these amazing artists journeys.


Heritage, Community and Land Sovereignty

PANEL AVAILABLE VIRTUALLY NOW HERE

Panelists: Lani Cupchoy, Justin Gerona, Glenda Tuaine, Nancy Thompson, Iara Lee 

Moderator: Kamaile Tripp-Harris

From freedom, to land rights to cultural connections and thought-provoking artists, we couldn’t have asked for a more diverse and inclusive conversation. This panel is as much one of a kind as it is a convergence of passion for storytelling in true Māsima Film Tour style.


A Filmmaker’s Journey to Challenge Hawaii’s Colonial Narrative

PANEL AVAILABLE VIRTUALLY NOW HERE

Panelist: Anthony Banua-Simon

Moderator: Kamaile Tripp-Harris

An emotional insight into Anthony Banua-Simon’s journey to establish the connections between colonialism, unethical business and entertainment industry, while threading the story of how Hawai’i has been sold as paradise, while being stolen away from those for whom is their Native and rightful home. An educational, exciting and moving panel discussion, recorded exclusively for Māsima 2023.


Uplifting Storytellers Through Collective Power

PANEL AVAILABLE VIRTUALLY NOW HERE

Panelists: Veialu Aila-Unsworth, Pumehana Cabral, Peter Filimaua, Alexis Si’i, Lauren To’omalatai, Misa Tupou.

Moderator: Kamaile Tripp-Harris

United by Visual Communications, Armed With a Camera Fellowship, this group of emerging Pacific Islanders filmmakers found new ways to uplift their work in the power of collective creation. You can feel the community, support and intimacy through the screen and we guarantee you will leave the conversation lightened and grateful you did not miss it.


There’s No Vanity in Believing in Yourself

PANEL AVAILABLE VIRTUALLY NOW HERE

Panelist: Joshua Leomiti

Moderator: Kamaile Tripp-Harris

“Am I wanting something that isn’t mine or is this mine and I have to fight for it?” This and many other inspiring questions await as we listen to Joshua Leomiti reflect on the challenges of believing in yourself while navigating a complex industry that pushes uniqueness into boxes. In the words of our Production team: “We were smiling through the entire conversation” and we assure you, so will you.

FILM SCHEDULE

Films in theater start Thursday May 18.  Some films will be available virtually starting Friday May 19.

Thurs May 18

7 PM

Opening Night Red Carpet Event

Cane Fire
1 hr 30 min
+
Post-screening panel (45 min)

 

Fri May 19

7 PM

The Voyagers Legacy
10 min

+

We Are Still Here

1 hr 22 min

 

Sat May 20

7 PM

TAPA: The Cloth that Binds Us
10 min

+

Taonga: An Artist Activist
15 min

+

Call Edith
9 min

+

The Alexander Ball 
31 min

 

Sun May 21

7 PM

Testimony
10 min

+

Māui Adventures: Capturing the Sun
1 min 28 sec

+

WANTOKS: Dance of Resilience in Melanesia
20 min

+

Aloha Soul Food
12 min

 

Mon May 22

7 PM

Loimata: The Sweetest Tears

1 hr 34 min

+

Post-screening panel (30 min)

This film contains graphic
depictions of sexual
violence and contains
potentially distressing
material.

This film contains graphic
depictions of sexual
violence and contains
potentially distressing
material.

 

Tues May 23 

7 PM

Cane Fire

1 hr 30 min

+

8:30 PM

The Deceiver

23 min 04 sec

+

Post screening Q&A (15 min) 

Wed May 24

7 PM

Armed With a Camera Shorts Program
42 min
+
Post screening panel (30 min)

 

FILMS AND SHORTS

Listed alphabetical by title.  

THE ALEXANDER BALL

SATURDAY, MAY 20 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN AS PART OF SHORTS PROGRAM 1 ON SATURDAY MAY 20

31 min | 2022 | Australia | Not Rated | English | Short

Directed by Jessica Magro

An observational documentary celebrating Sāmoan-Māori-Australian trans woman of color, Ella Ganza, and the Meanjin ballroom scene, as she and her ballroom family prepare for one of the biggest pride events of the year: The Alexander Ball.

ALOHA SOUL FOOD

SUNDAY, MAY 21 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN AS PART OF SHORTS PROGRAM 2 ON SUNDAY MAY 21

12 min | 2022 | USA | Not Rated | English | Short

Directed by Lani Cupchoy

Merging personal memoir and photojournalism, Aloha Soul Food nostalgically explores decolonial foodways through the family life stories of six Pacific Island women. Set in Los Angeles, California, the documentary embodies an intergenerational love story to working class women deeply rooted in Hawaii while skillfully examining a century of how they navigated through the Chinese exclusion Acts, the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, 1960s school cafeterias, the United Public Workers Strike in 1979, and the Women’s Army Core. The film shows how generations can reclaim identity and historical spaces through recipes while reminding us of the deep ties that bind our families and communities together.

ARMED WITH A CAMERA SHORTS PROGRAM

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN AS PART OF ARMED WITH A CAMERA SHORTS PROGRAM ON WEDNESDAY MAY 24 WITH A PANEL FOLLOWING THE SCREENING

A collection of short films directed by the first all-Pacific Islander cohort from Visual Communications, Armed With a Camera Fellowship, seeking to support artists who are committed to empowering communities and challenging perspectives through their creative works.

ARMED WITH A CAMERA SHORTS 2023

Snack
Dir. Lauren To’omalatai

Butterfly/Bataplai
Dir. Veialu Aila-Unsworth

Tala’s Bedtime Story
Dir. Peter Filimaua

Ka Aumeume/Navigating
Home
Dir. Pumehana Cabral

My Brother
Dir. Misa Tupou

More Bounce
Dir. Alexis Si’i

Snack_Poster
POSTER MY BROTHER
Screen Shot 2023-03-20 at 12.45.00 PM
MORE BOUNCE
TBS Poster
Ka Aumeume_Still 3_Kuio
Ka ā'ume'ume: Navigating Home
Butterfly Bataplai Promotional Still 1
Butterfly/Bataplai

CALL EDITH

SATURDAY, MAY 20 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN AS PART OF SHORTS PROGRAM 1 ON SATURDAY MAY 20

9 min | 2021 | New Zealand | Not Rated | English, Hawaiian | Feature Documentary

Directed by Ruby Harris and Gabriella Brayne

A short documentary about Edith Amituanai, a Sāmoan photographer who photographs and works with rangatahi in Waitākere, Tāmaki Makaurau. ‘Call Edith’ is an honest kōrero around the politics of documentary photography, cherishing those crack-up moments and knowing your intentions when creating art in a community.

CANE FIRE

THURSDAY, MAY 18 & TUESDAY, MAY 23 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN AS THE OPENING NIGHT FILM ON THURSDAY MAY 18, AND WITH THE DECEIVER ON TUESDAY MAY 23

90 min | 2020 | USA | Not Rated | English, Hawaiian | Feature Documentary

Directed by Anthony Banua-Simon

Cane Fire examines the past and present of the Hawaiian island of Kauai, interweaving four generations of family history, numerous Hollywood productions, and troves of found footage to create a kaleidoscopic portrait of the economic and cultural forces that have cast Indigenous and working-class residents as “extras” in their own story.

THE DECEIVER

TUESDAY, MAY 23 | 8:30 PM

WILL SCREEN AFTER CANE FIRE WITH A PANEL AFTER THE SHORT

23 min | 2023 | Not Rated | English | Short

Directed by Hinano Tekurio Tanielu & Manu Tanielu

When “don’t judge a book by its cover” proves real, a woman stranded in a small town pays the ultimate price for her misjudgment.

LOIMATA: THE SWEETEST TEARS

MONDAY, MAY 22 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN WITH A PANEL AFTER THE FEATURE 

94 min | 2020 | New Zealand, Samoa | Not Rated | Samoan, English | Feature Documentary

Directed by Anna Marbrook

This film follows the extraordinary ocean-going waka captain, Lilo Ema Siope on an emotional healing journey in the last months of her life. A finely-crafted compassionate documentary strongly tied to Ema’s Sāmoan culture. It is an intimate exploration of a family shattered by shame working courageously to liberate themselves from the shackles of the past. A journey of courage, tears, laughter and above all, unconditional love.

This film contains graphic depictions of sexual violence and contains potentially distressing material.

MĀUI ADVENTURES: CAPTURING THE SUN

SUNDAY, MAY 21 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN AS PART OF SHORTS PROGRAM 2 ON SUNDAY MAY 21

1 min 28 sec | 2022 | Not Rated | English | Short

Directed by Justin Gerona

When the days are too short for life to survive, a Hawaiian boy fights the sun in order to slow it down and save his people.

TAONGA: AN ARTIST ACTIVIST

SATURDAY, MAY 20 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN AS PART OF SHORTS PROGRAM 1 ON SATURDAY MAY 20

15 min | 2023 | Cook Islands | Not Rated | English | Short

Directed by Glenda Tuaine

Mike’s life story is a journey of art, his connection to artistic expression in all its forms is what wakes him up in the morning and sees him retire to bed late at night. This short documentary seeks to capture Mike’s connection with art and teaching. 

TAPA: THE CLOTH THAT BINDS US

SUNDAY, MAY 21 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN AS PART OF SHORTS PROGRAM 2 ON SUNDAY MAY 21

10 min | 2022 | USA | Not Rated | Short

Directed by Nancy Thompson

Through the ancient practice of making tapa, a barkcloth created in the islands of the South Pacific, a young girl finds her way. Born and raised in diaspora, she uses the skills passed down from her mother and grandmother to stay tethered and grounded to her Pasifika culture while living in a foreign land. The adaptation of the core values of this tapa making process into her daily life allows her to always find her way back home.

TESTIMONY

SATURDAY, MAY 20 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN AS PART OF SHORTS PROGRAM 1 ON SATURDAY MAY 20

10 min | 2023 | New Zealand | Not Rated | Short

Directed by Alice Lolohea

Forty-five years after his parents were wrongfully imprisoned for overstaying, a Tongan New Zealander finally admits the painful truth behind what really happened to his family during the Dawn Raids. 

THE VOYAGER'S LEGACY

FRIDAY, MAY 19 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN WITH WE ARE STILL HERE ON FRIDAY MAY 19

10 min | 2022 | New Zealand | Not Rated | Short

Directed by Bailey Poching

The Dawn Raids of 1974-76 were a time when the New Zealand Police were instructed by the government to enter homes and/or stop people on the street and ask for permits, visas, passports – anything that proved a person’s right to be in the country. This blunt instrument was applied almost exclusively to Pacific Islanders, despite the bulk of overstayers at the time being from Europe or North America. Dr Melani Anae describes these raids as ‘the most blatantly racist attack on Pacific peoples by the New Zealand government in New Zealand’s history.

WANTOKS: DANCE OF RESILIENCE IN MELANESIA

SUNDAY, MAY 21 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN AS PART OF SHORTS PROGRAM 2 ON SUNDAY MAY 21

20 min | 2019 | Papua New Guinea | Not Rated | Short

Directed by Lara Lee

In 2018 the Solomon Islands, in the South Pacific, hosted the Melanesian Arts & Cultural Festival, celebrating the country’s 40th anniversary of independence. On neighboring island states, the struggle for freedom continues, as West Papua resists Indonesian occupation and the residents of New Caledonia still live under French rule. In all Melanesian countries, residents face the common challenge of climate change, as rising sea levels threaten to swallow both land and tradition. In this charged context, captivating performers are using their talents to celebrate local culture and draw international attention to their islands’ plight, with the hope of spurring international solidarity and prompting collective action against the perils of a warming world.

WE ARE STILL HERE

FRIDAY, MAY 19 | 7 PM

WILL SCREEN WITH THE VOYAGER’S LEGACY ON FRIDAY MAY 19

82 min | 2022 | Australia, New Zealand | Not Rated | Maori, Samoan, English | Feature Narrative

Directed by Beck Cole, Dena Curtis, Tracey Rigney, Danielle MacLean, Tim Worrall, Renae Maihi, Miki Magasiva, Mario Gaoa, Richard Curtis, and Chantelle Burgoyne

Australian-New Zealand anthology film created as a response to the 250th anniversary of the Second voyage of James Cook to Australia in 1772, the project consists of ten linked short films by each of ten Indigenous Australian and Māori filmmakers about the impact of settler colonialism on the region’s indigenous cultures. The films span a range of approaches including historical war drama, futuristic speculative fiction and animation.

In The Can with Doug Fabrizio starts April 20

Salt Lake Film Society partners with University of Utah department of Film and Media Arts and KUER’s RadioWest host Doug Fabrizio to bring you a conversation about THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS. This month’s special guest will be University of Utah Associate Professor of Film Studies Sarah Sinwell. Admission includes a screening of the film followed by a live panel discussion.

Join us for this one night only special event! Tickets are now available here.

Anderson and Anderson in April 2023

Join us at SLFS in April 2023 for a retrospective series featuring the films of P.T. Anderson and Wes Anderson every weekend on Friday and Saturday starting March 31st.

Paul Thomas Anderson (known as P.T.) grew up in the San Fernando Valley in the ’70s and 80’s. At an early age, he decided that directing was all he wanted to do and started making short films with his friends. As a senior in high school he wrote, produced, and directed a 30 minute short film “The Dirk Diggler Story”. (This became the basis for his film Boogie Nights.) While at the Sundance Feature Film program he developed the film “Sydney” which became the acclaimed film Hard Eight. After struggles with his distributor, he took his own version of “Sydney” to Cannes where it screened in the Un Certain Regard section. Eventually “Sydney” was released as Hard Eight in 1996, of which film critic Roger Ebert wrote “Movies like Hard Eight remind me of what original, compelling characters the movies can sometimes give us.”

Wes Anderson was born in Houston, Texas in 1969. Also at a young age he was driven to become a filmmaker making silent films with his brothers and friends. Later working as a projectionist at the University of Texas at Austin he met writer/actor Owen Wilson who he collaborated with in his early films such as Bottle Rocket. His signature post-modern style and subversion of main-stream storytelling stands out amidst commercial filmmaking today. Big star-studded casts, fast paced humor, and a nostalgia mark his films which are never quite what you expected.

These popular directors, who happen to share a last name, represent a new wave of stylistic directing that always surprises. Their way of telling stories is unique in a world of short attention spans and easy endings.

Showtimes may vary. Tickets will be on sale at www.slfstix.org.

Mar 31: The Fantastic Mr. Fox

April 1: Boogie Nights

April 7: Punch Drunk Love

April 8: The Grand Budapest Hotel

April 14: Hard Eight

April 15: Bottle Rocket

April 21: There Will Be Blood

April 22: The Royal Tenenbaums

April 28: Magnolia

April 29: Rushmore

Schedule for Anderson and Anderson in April 2023 with a scene from Punch Drunk Love.

SLFS Staff: The Crowd, The Audience, and White Noise

At Salt Lake Film Society, we take a lot of pride in providing access to the movie theater experience. For many films and visual stories, the very nature of their production and exhibition is designed to be watched on the big screen, shared in a movie theater with others. In our blog this week, we hear from Landon Adams, Theater Manager at Broadway Centre Cinemas, and how his experience watching White Noise was enhanced through the movie theater experience.


“Watching a film in a theater is a profound sensory experience. We become entranced by both the screen in front of us, and the audience surrounding us. In Noah Baumbach’s White Noise, characters speak of the supermarket as a spiritual haven, a temple broadcasting soothing psychic data composed of words, images, colors and sounds. The cinema’s function is the very same. 

Adams, standing in front of the White Noise poster and posing somewhat similarly to Jack Gladney (Adam Driver)

The plot of the film concerns the exploits of the blended Gladney family. The main protagonist, J.A.K. Gladney (played by Adam Driver), is a professor of Hitler studies, who in an early scene waxes poetically to a group of wide-eyed college students about the allure of the crowd. They hang onto his every word on topics ranging from “deathward” plots, to mob mentality and the power of the collective. Their awe feeds into Jack’s sense of immortality in an unwitting ritual that summons the dark cloud of Jack’s tentative demise and sets the wheels of our story in motion.

It’s in the aforementioned lecture that Jack, pointing out into the lecture hall, singles out a terrified student as a member of the future dead. We see this moment in a POV shot, from the viewpoint of the student. Jack Gladney points directly into the camera, pointing at both the student, and projected overhead on a 45 foot screen, pointing into the theater at us. If we were watching this on TV, we might miss that throughout the film Jack is aware of us, speaks to us, asking us in states between wakefulness and dreaming, “Who are you?” So attuned to the crowd, he senses us even when alone in his room in the dead of night.

For the duration of the movie we are invited into various crowded scenes: An overstuffed home, a bustling campus, evacuation camps, supermarkets, even roadways; traffic stretching out past the horizon toward infinity. The characters’ relation to these crowds is ever-shifting. Sometimes they are leaders, sometimes members. They often look to these crowds to measure themselves and source how they should feel, or how they should act. They find comfort in crowds, a sense of subconscious immortality borne out of an esoteric reinforcement, the comfort from “the collective”.

The film opens with a monologue over a montage of car crash stunts. The monologue asserts that these crashes are a highlight reel, representing innovation and optimism. This opening contextualizes what happens later in the film while Jack is driving down the highway. In the midst of a crisis our cast witnesses an accident, or at least the children do. When it happens, Jack is looking away.

Again we see the action as a POV shot, this time inhabiting the viewpoint of Jack’s children. A car rushes into the frame, overturning in a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, and when it occurs, Jack is looking away, into the camera, as if watching for  our reaction, to determine from us, the audience, how he should feel.

A still from the film White Noise, a movie shown at the Broadway theater in SLC
A variety of shots in White Noise achieve their true visual and communicative power only when seen on a 45-foot screen in a dark room with strangers.

The movie theater provides a communal experience, often complex and of multi-dimensions. We gather under the flashing lights of the big screen and allow ourselves to sink into the story, letting our  worries fall away across a paltry runtime. Sharing this with an audience makes the spell all the more potent. The people surrounding us help transform the experience by virtue of their presence and individual experiences.

It’s these fellow movie-goers, these crowds of eager enthusiasts, who  breathe life into a film, and ground us in the experience. It’s our physical presence with others that creates and completes this unwitting ritual, just as in the film. Acting as kindred travelers on the cinematic highway, we escape down reality’s off-ramp toward the open-road comfort of the surreal, where together we are immortal beneath the silver screen of the theater.”


Thank You And a Happy New Year From SLFS

2022 Is Nearly Gone, But The Memories Live On

Hello independent film fanatics, and congratulations on making it through another year! As we all worked our hardest to make it through the days, months, and year of 2022 whole, many of us found support and solace in film, and the incredible visual stories that we are engaged in. Whether exploring the multiverse to appreciate the true value of life and kindness in Everything Everywhere All at Once, or enjoying a quirky couple’s love for volcanoes and each other in Fire of Love, or learning more about those who are hearing-impaired and the beautiful burden of family in CODA, we have screened many beautiful and breathtaking stories at the Broadway in 2022.

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
FIRE OF LOVE
CODA
Previous
Next

Perhaps you got one of the last tickets to a Rocky Horror Picture Show accompanied by live performers, or maybe you were the only one in the theater to see a captivating, foreign independent film on a Tuesday afternoon; Salt Lake Film Society is proud and privileged to exhibit all kinds of incredible stories for the Salt Lake City community, all supported by dedicated patrons like you.

Supporting Independent Film in 2023 With SLFS

If you’ve enjoyed your experiences at the Broadway, and if you value the type and quality of films you see with SLFS, please consider supporting us! Join the Red Carpet Club, or make a donation online right now at SLFS.org, or at the theater the next time you see a film; even better, make a donation before Sunday and reduce your taxable income for the coming year! Every dollar supports our mission to exhibit, engage, and educate the Salt Lake City community through independent film. We couldn’t do it without you.

a photo of some the SLFS staff and board in their office in downtown Salt Lake City

 

Some the SLFS staff and board members at the SLFS office

From our Salt Lake Film Society family to yours, thank you for engaging with diverse stories and supporting independent cinema in Salt Lake City, and we look forward to seeing you all in 2023!


SLFS Staff: Holiday Picks 2022

In Salt Lake City, the holiday season is a time of joy, compassion, and nostalgia. Whether you are spending time with family and friends, or  enjoying the snowy slopes and warm drinks, this time of year is about loving traditions and memories as well as making new ones. Whether it’s the holiday movie you watched every year as a family, or going out to your local theater on Christmas Day, film has a special place in many of our hearts during this festive period. 

At Salt Lake Film Society, our staff also have a special place for movies in their hearts during the holiday season. From all-time holiday classics, to obscure independent films, to the never-ending debate on whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie, our love of film and cinema doesn’t take time off for the holidays. Check out the wide variety of picks and preferences that SLFS  staff enjoy during this time of year and who knows, maybe you will find a new title to add to your family holiday movie tradition!

TOKYO GODFATHERS (2003)Tori Baker, President/CEO

    • “Consider starting a tradition of viewing the masterwork Tokyo Godfathers, a tale that will take you on a sentimental journey that might just also break your heart in the best way possible—the way that makes you want to pursue more understanding of humanity and it’s complexities.”

AUNTIE MAME (1958) – Marcie Collett, Associate Director of Development

    • “During holidays – or whenever I’m in need of inspiration on abundance and fabulousness – I treat myself to Rosalind Russell in Auntie Mame. Mame’s memoir is Live, Live, Live!, and her motto is: “Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving.”

a still of gremlins caroling from the holiday movie Gremlins
GREMLINS (1984) is actually a Christmas movie, complete with Gremlin carolers!

GREMLINS (1984) – Rachel Getts, Associate Director of Digital Content 

    • “A classic funny alternative holiday movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously.  The gremlin bar scene alone is a bizarre surreal hilarious mess. Wouldn’t change a thing.”

SCROOGED (1988) – Stephen Simmons, Associate Director of Production

    • “I watch this film every year. It never gets old. It’s got everything. The cast is a 90’s comedy dream team. It’s spooky, sarcastic and filled with Christmas spirit(s). The speech Frank Cross (Murray) gives at the end makes me tear up…..every damn time.”

CAROL (2015) – Ally Lantz, Theater Operations Manager

    • “One of my favorite films that is altogether beautiful and heartbreaking (and also happens to have a Christmas road trip involved). In other words, be sad, do gay, and Merry Christmas.”

A PISTOL FOR RINGO (1965) – Landon Adams, Theater Operations Manager

    • “Have you ever watched a spaghetti western and thought “This would be improved with a Christmas theme?” Well A PISTOL FOR RINGO exists anyway. It opens with two men meeting in the center of town at high noon, hands near their gun belts. One moves fast, offering his hand: “Merry Christmas, Jack”.”

RECKLESS (1995) – Brandon Suisse,  Associate Director of Development

    • “A bizarre and largely forgotten dark comedy for anyone who has ever been overwhelmed by the relentless giddiness of the holiday season. While the satire may not feel scalding (or coherent) enough for some, it ultimately arrives somewhere that’s unexpectedly un-pessimistic. This unpolished gem of a movie is a must-see for Grinches everywhere–if you can find a copy.”

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) – Jesse Sindelar, Development Manager

    • “An established holiday tradition for many, it’s also the blueprint for most holiday movie storylines: not appreciating what you have until it’s gone. I’ve cried at the end of every watch, and I’ll keep on crying in the future. Merry Christmas you wonderful old Building and Loan!”

SLEEPER (1973) – Susan Tive, Head of Development

    • “As a child, my Jewish family’s Christmas tradition was dinner at a Chinese restaurant followed by a movie. In 1973, it was SLEEPER, Woody Allen’s dystopian comedy which became for me one of those cinematic treasures I summon again and again and when I do, I’m still a kid too young to get the punchlines but not yet too old to delight in the memories of my parents’ laughter.” 

THE FAMILY STONE (2005) – Amy Beth Aste, Head of Theater Operations

    • “The actors alone make me nostalgic, Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Dermot Mulroney, Luke Wilson, Claire Danes, Craig T. Nelson, Paul Schneider, all actors I loved in the 90’s! They come together in one story of a family that deserves your suspension of disbelief and will make you laugh, cry, and want to learn sign language.”

TANGERINE (2015) – Daniel de Santiago,  Front of House Staff

    • “My love for this holiday film goes not just towards its hilarious dialogue, but how the film was captured. Sean Baker is amazing in how he documents his scenes, they feel more like a documentary then a scripted film, it’s excellent directing. Plus, the first line in this film is “Merry Christmas B***H”.”

POLAR EXPRESS (2014) – Sophie Nielsen,  Front of House Staff

    • “All aboard, and hold on TIGHTLY! I make my family watch POLAR EXPRESS every Christmas. Everything about it is magical: the scenery, the music, the friendship, the actual magic, and the fact that they only had to hire one voice actor (Tom Hanks).”

a still of Olivia Hussey in Black Christmas, a holiday slasher from 1974
Olivia Hussey in Black Christmas (1974)

 

BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974) – Patrick Charles, Theater Operations Manager

    • “An amazing proto-slasher movie directed by Bob Clark that mixes tons of laughs with extremely dark Christmas-themed mayhem. Clark would go on to direct, A CHRISTMAS STORY, which is quite similar to BLACK CHRISTMAS, minus the obscene phone calls and murders.” 

 

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1984) – Guy Wheatley, Head Projectionist

    • “When it comes to epitomizing the character, George C. Scott *is* Ebenezer Scrooge. You believe his every caustic remark about Christmas, and his redemption is the most poignantly reminiscent of Scott’s own career. This Christmas Carol is the only Dickens you need.”

JUST FRIENDS (2005) – Abby Derrick,  Front of House Staff

    • “Reminds me of long winter nights spent with my sisters. Every Christmas Eve, we’d stay up all night watching this over and over, the jokes getting funnier with every watch. It’s the perfectly funny movie to ring in the new year.”

MIXED NUTS (1994) – Zoey Wiltsey, Event Manager

    • “For me, the holiday season doesn’t really start until I’ve watched Mixed Nuts. It’s been a tradition since early adolescence. I love Nora Ephron’s dark sense of humor and I find the 90’s sensibilities very comforting around this time of year.”

Holiday Films at SLFS

We hope the variety of seasonal movies and personal experiences shared by our staff add some cinematic perspective to your holiday season (and maybe even some inspiration for the next holiday movie night!).

At Salt Lake Film Society, we can’t think of a better present for the people you love then the gift of cinema. Consider sharing and supporting access to quality independent film this holiday season, with a gift membership to our Red Carpet Club!



Find this holiday list on Letterboxd! We have curated lists from SLFS Staff there, including the films mentioned in this post, here.

SLFS Staff: The Unique Passage of Time in a Movie Theater

At Salt Lake Film Society, we believe that the visual stories of film are at their best on the big screen. Whether it’s the dark room, the imposing visuals, or the access to movie theater popcorn, the unique experience of watching a movie in a movie theater is not lost on our patrons, or our staff members. In our blog this week, we hear from Ally Lantz, Theater Manager at Broadway Centre Cinemas, on the amplified experience of watching her favorite director, Celine Sciamma, on the big screen.


“Why do we enjoy spending our time watching movies at a movie theater? While it’s a seemingly simple question, there are a wide variety of answers depending on who you ask. For some, it might be the popcorn and snacks, while for others it might be the communal and social viewing experience. For myself, I like watching in a theater because I enjoy being immersed in the pace of a film. Watching at home, time is beholden to our control and to our terms. You can pause and disrupt the film experience at any moment.

But in a theater you must entirely relinquish your control of time. You allow yourself to be swept up in the story’s passage of time, often experiencing time in a different way. If you are lucky, you will find yourself leaving the cinema feeling as though you have just emerged from a cocoon, where the film’s relatively brief runtime has materialized into an epic cinematic journey. 

Sciamma in The Movie Theater

This unique passage of time is why I love watching films in a theater, and is no better exemplified than through the work of Celine Sciamma, a favorite of mine. Sciamma manipulates time in the service of elevating the emotional weight of her stories. Earlier this year, she released a new film, Petite Maman, which follows an 8-year-old named Nelly after her beloved grandmother passed away. She helps her parents clean out her mother’s childhood home and what follows is a tender meditation on grief and familial relationships. 

a photo of SLFS Staff member Ally Lantz standing next to a movie theater poster for Petite Maman
Lantz standing next to the Petite Maman poster at the Broadway

Petite Maman is a film that has led me to months of decryption and contemplation. If you asked me how long a movie should be to fully explore the complex thematic content typical of Sciamma, I would say you would need something akin to a 3-hour narrative. Yet Sciamma manifests a layered epic within a brief 72 minutes.

The young girls’ interactions occur beyond the sphere of chronological time, but these characters are not in stasis, and the full weight of emotion that the more traditional passage of time would imply is still communicated effortlessly. I saw this film at our own Broadway Centre Cinemas and even with an unusually short runtime, I drifted into a sort of limbo; where literal time passage was irrelevant, it felt like days or even weeks had gone by.

The Passage of Time in Portrait of a Lady on Fire

In another Sciamma film, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, there are only a few indicators that time has passed at all, in reality and in the story. The clearest is the presence or absence of the Mother character, and upon her departure, our two female leads find themselves suspended in a timeless bubble. Within this space the characters are free to indulge in infatuation, their mutual experience undisturbed and their love permitted to develop.

When the Mother returns, this bubble suddenly bursts, and with a twisted urgency, it all begins to move too quickly. Time starts running out, and our characters become aware of the impending and unavoidable conclusion. We watch their experiences begin to transform into memories, which are altered by the emotions and complexity of their circumstances.

still of Celine Sciamma, Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel on the set of Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, and director Celine Sciamma on the set of Portrait of a Lady On Fire

This memory of mine was made possible by the insulated and attentive nature of the movie theater viewing experience (and the following dream-like state). If I had not experienced the story within the controlled theatrical environment, the impact of Sciamma’s story and the connection I felt to it would not have been possible.

If you look at Portrait of a Lady on Fire as a story told from the memory of Marianne, one of the two main characters, the intent behind the malleability of time is clear. It is her memory that alters time and the pace of this story, blending moments and experiences into the physical passage of time itself. I remember walking out of the theater after watching this film, feeling like I had just emerged from an emotional fever dream.

The experience of watching Celine Sciamma’s films has been described as “unwrapping a present from someone who loves you”; tender and intimate, and occupying not just the linear flow of moment to moment, but the space of memory and feeling. The best way to immerse yourself in this playful rendering of time is to give yourself fully to the experience. The spell may be broken if you hit pause, so please next time Sciamma or any of your favorite filmmakers releases a film, head to your nearest cinema (like Broadway Centre Cinemas). These films are made to be seen in theaters and being in one is a part of the experience you will not want to miss out on.”


To see a list of our upcoming films and events, click here.
To join our Red Carpet Club, or to learn more about RCC levels, discounts, and benefits, click here.


SLFS and The Voices Behind Filméxico

At Salt Lake Film Society, our mission revolves around the power that film has to not only entertain our community, but also help them engage. We are proud of the independent films we screen, and the powerful and engaging stories they tell, and there’s no better example of this engaging communal power than our Cultural Film Tours.

Poster featuring a list of films screening during Filmexico 2022
Click on this poster for the upcoming schedule for Filméxico, and find a film and panel that interests you most!

As one of the longest-running and most highly-attended cultural tours we help put on at SLFS, Filméxico has been offering access to incredible selections of contemporary Mexican cinema in Utah every year for the last decade. With extensive panel discussions and prominent works by Afro Mexican and Indigenous filmmakers (and now an extensive virtual community as well), Filméxico continues to provide culturally enriching and educational experiences for the Mexican and non-Mexican community alike in Salt Lake City. 

This incredible visual storytelling tour of Mexican culture and creators wasn’t organized overnight though. Filméxico is realized every year through a large and extensive collaboration with our presenting partners Consulado de México en Salt Lake City, and Artes De México en Utah, as well as a long list of other organizations and individuals (which you can see in it’s entirety at the end of this blog). In our post this week, we want you to hear from a few different folks and organizations who make this incredible exhibition of Mexican independent film possible. Find out what they love about Filméxico, and get a preview of some films and panel discussions you won’t want to miss.

Hear From Those Who Made Filméxico Possible

“Filméxico is a unique platform that allows people to learn about the great diversity of the peoples and cultures of Mexico with the purpose to create cultural awareness and cultural connections within the US. People feel represented, included, authenticated by this important venue, and we’re especially excited for people to come out and see. Los Gigantes del Pastizal (The Grassland Giants). Filméxico has become a way to celebrate our diversity of film through art and to give opportunity to our community to have a voice through the panel discussions. Together we celebrate and elevate the voices of our community” 

Fanny Guadalupe Blauer, Executive Director at Artes De México en Utah

“Salt Lake City is lucky to have Filméxico because it is a culturally enriching experience unique to our town. The documentaries offer valuable educational experiences, and the features and shorts give us a glimpse into Mexico’s rich independent film scene. ¡Gracias a SLFS y viva Filméxico!”

Luciano Marzulli, K-16 Outreach Coordinator at Center for Latin American Studies, University of Utah

Filméxico has been one of my favorite film festivals for years as it’s a space that uplifts the work of contemporary Mexican filmmakers. Through the impeccable programming offered, Utah audiences experience Mexico in an authentic and unique way. I was most impacted—visually and emotionally—by the documentary Mamá (Mom), a film by director Xun Sero. Through intimate conversations between the filmmaker and his mother, we learn about their past as they try to understand it and each other. Sero’s mother is quick-witted and wise, and her story will make you smile and break your heart all at the same time.

Nancy Rivera, Visual Arts Program Coordinator at Utah Division of Arts & Museums

"Representation STILL matters! As a queer Mexican educator and indie film buff, it is often hard to find myself represented in the documentaries and narratives shown on the big screen. Filméxico brings the stories of my people to life! I also get to share these films—and free passes—with my students at Salt Lake Community College where I work. Being the oldest of three, I’m most looking forward to watching Mamá (Mom). The often-contentious bond between my own mother and I makes me excited to see these themes come alive in a theater. Thank you Salt Lake Film Society for reminding our community that BROWN IS BEAUTIFUL! "

Jose Rodriguez Hernandez, Assistant Director for Community Engagement, SLCC

SLFS Cultural Tours

These snippets are from just a few of the extraordinary people who volunteer their time to make Filméxico such an authentic and engaging experience for all. Through the extensive collaboration and planning process, SLFS and these dedicated organizations have worked tirelessly to ensure that the films and events presented are relevant and meaningful to the people they serve, because they are co-created by the people they serve.

So come out to Broadway Centre Cinemas starting this Thursday 11/10 thru 11/17 to experience seven days of authentic Mexican stories told on the big screen. Take the opportunity to view prominent works by indigenous filmmakers, as well as seasoned, new and local talent. Engage with a series of panel discussions by Mexican filmmakers, Utah community leaders and cultural binational specialists and allies, available on slfsathome.org.

Browse the list of films, panels, and showtimes at slfs.org/filmexico.

PRESENTING PARTNERS

  • Salt Lake Film Society
  • Consulado de México en Salt Lake City
  • Artes de México en Utah

MAJOR GRANTORS

  • ZAP – Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts & Parks
  • State of Utah Legislature
  • Utah Department of Arts & Museums
  • National Endowment for the Arts
  • Salt Lake City ACE Fund

SPONSORS

  • University of Utah Center for Latin American Studies
  • Secretaria de Cultura
  • University of Utah Tanner Humanities Center
  • IMCINE
  • University of Utah Osher Lifelong Learning
  • Mexicano-Latino Institute in Utah
  • Sundance Institute
  • Spyhop
  • Monarca Restaurant
  • Zólupez Cerveza

 

To see a list of our upcoming films and events, click here.
To join our Red Carpet Club, or to learn more about RCC levels, discounts, and benefits, click here.

 

 

How Films Make Us Feel Emotion

While some folks might not readily admit to it, many of us have cried while watching a movie. These could be tears of sadness for the looming passing of the family dog in Marley and Me, or of exultation during scenes of joyous reunion and relief at the end of It’s a Wonderful Life. For many people, (cinephiles and non-cinephiles alike), there is at least one movie scene at some point which has overwhelmed them with an acute wave of emotion.

a still from the final scene of the film It's a Wonderful Life
For many, the iconic ending of It’s a Wonderful Life is a guaranteed tear-jerker

The stories that film tells and the immersive way it tells them have always had a capacity to foster our sympathetic and empathetic tendencies, help us grow emotionally, and connect more with others. Whether you watch a documentary about human suffering thousands of miles away or a narrative that reveals the less than evident truths about your own life, watching a film can be emotional, and that is a good thing. How does film do this and what exactly about the art of film makes us feel the emotions we do when we watch? 

This powerful quality of film sits at the heart of why we love it here at SLFS, and why we are committed to providing access to independent film to our community. We are proud to show a wide variety of independent films that help our patrons not just think, but also feel. The more we can understand and discuss this emotive-inducing power of film, the better all of us in our community can be at engaging with the diverse and thought-provoking benefits of cinema.  

Independent Film = Your Brain On Empathy

Emotions are a vital aspect of the storytelling ability that a movie has. Emotions are also vital characteristics of the larger human experience; they are a fundamental part of what makes us sentient, complex creatures. In the modern age of scientific research and medical technology, emotions can be more precisely defined and measured through brain scans of our neural networks and what we know about the different chemicals that our brains release to cause emotional states. And as it turns out, movies are more than capable of inducing and effecting these states.

Humans are naturally empathetic beings; when we see or hear something sad, we are likely to feel sad. When we watch a story on the big screen, we automatically generate some investment in the characters. The way we absorb their depicted plights and decisions often invests us in an emotional cinematic reality, even if we are not directly experiencing the situations in question.

There are countless studies that demonstrate a link between storytelling and empathy, but it also doesn’t take a scientific study to know that movies offer one of the more effective forms of storytelling in human history. In fact, film is so effective at inducing empathy and emotion in people, it is used by researchers as a method to actually induce emotions in subjects, in order to study the brain simultaneously as they feel them. 

Different neural networks activate different types of empathy in research participants who watched an intense scene from Black Swan

For neuroscience researchers like Talma Hendler at Tel Aviv University in Israel, movies offer a useful tool to study how emotions fluctuate in real time and what’s going on in the brain when we feel certain ways. Hendler and her team have been investigating neural networks in the brain and their role in empathy, and have found evidence for two types of empathy. Mental empathy, when people step outside of themselves to think about what another person is thinking or experiencing, and embodied empathy, more of an in-the-moment internalization and adoption of an experience and its emotions.

It’s hard to say which type of empathy an audience member might be feeling during a specific scene, whether they are understanding the rationale and perspective of a character’s feelings, or more acutely feeling the character’s feelings themselves. But one thing is for sure; the empathetic storytelling that film is capable of can play with our emotions like few other forms of media can.

Playing With the Audiences Emotions

As much as there is to understand about the science of why film makes us feel emotion, what about the techniques behind filmmaking itself? How do filmmakers shape their narrative and use all the storytelling tools at their disposal to make us feel?

When filmmakers are crafting shots and dialogue, and considering how to tell the story of the scene, while they might not be contemplating the science of neural networks or the difference between mental and embodied empathy, their attention towards the emotions of their audience is quite purposeful.

“We’re always thinking about how to get into an emotional state, moment by moment, and how to bring as much of the audience along with us,” said Darren Aronofsky, acclaimed director of psychological dramas like Black Swan, Mother!, and The Wrestler in a Wired 2014 interview. It could be through stunning visual perspectives of proper cinematography, swelling crescendos of an orchestral soundtrack, or a well-written line acted and delivered to perfection; filmmakers craft their scenes and visual storylines with concentrated intent of making their audience feel.

an image of neural networks overlayed on a brain, next to a still from the film Black Swan
Javier Bardem and Jennifer Lawrence in Mother!, another psychological horror film from the mind of Darren Aronofsky

As much as the artistry of a film and its filmmaker plays a big role in this, there are also other psychological aspects of film that naturally contribute to the keen emotions that many moviegoers feel when they watch on the big screen. According to professor of psychology at Washington University, Jefferey Zachs, mimicry and music play vital roles in the emotions that film can make us feel.

“[Our brains] say that it’s a good idea to mimic the visual input that we’re seeing…if you watch somebody in the theater and there’s a smiling face filling the screen, most of the audience is going to pop a little bit of a smile…In film, a filmmaker has the opportunity to integrate those things very tightly. They can control exactly what’s shown of the face, and what else is present [on the screen].”

In regards to music in film, Zachs says the type and the timing also play a big role in inducing emotion. Sad moments in movies use slow music composed in a minor key to hammer home the sad things they depict. Minor key music can induce the same kind of sad feelings that we feel when we see people cry or watch bad things happen to people. “You put all those things together and it’s just taking the mechanisms that we encounter in real life and just really pushing all the buttons at once.” Zachs concluded.

Independent Films in Salt Lake City – SLFS

At Salt Lake Film Society, the emotional power of visual storytelling is at the heart of the impact we make in our community. Whether it’s anecdotal or based in scientific research, there is  consistently reaffirmed evidence that a compelling visual narrative can alter our brain’s chemistry. Films can make us feel, in a way that is strangely close to how we might feel if we were actually living these emotional experiences ourselves.

This invaluable form of sharing an emotional connection with others reinforces the unique and underrepresented voices inherent in our  independent film programming. This pairing helps cultivate an introspective and compassionate arts experience for the entire community, a process that SLFS has proudly been a part of for over 21 years. So come join us for an independent film at Salt Lake Film Society, and maybe you too can be a part of an emotional experience bigger than yourself.

To see a list of our upcoming films and events, click here.
To join our Red Carpet Club, or to learn more about RCC levels, discounts, and benefits, click here.


Rocky Horror Picture Show 2022

Let’s Do The Time Warp Again… Rocky Is Back

Rocky Horror Picture Show returns to SLFS! We are bringing our live performance event to the Broadway Centre Cinemas with four unique opportunities to experience this cult classic. Starting October 29-October 31 we will be hosting different screenings so you can choose how you want to spend your evening celebrating this cult classic.

The Out Of The Shadows cast is back for all screenings with live performances that occur with the movie. There are different performances with two separate emcees and one with a shadow cast. We will also be providing a screening of the film that is the movie only if you’d rather.

Screenings with live performers will have the doors open and a live pre-show that starts 30 minutes prior to the movie. Prop bags are included in your ticket price and will be handed out at entry. No outside props will be accepted into the theater.   

Mature Audiences Only. 18+.

The following production includes language and themes that may be triggering to certain individuals. This event includes graphic language, sexual content as permitted within Utah law, blood, assault, and uses language that some viewers may find offensive and/or dehumanizing. In addition the event is loud, cast members will be wandering the auditorium, and props will be tossed in the air, and audience members may move, stand, yell, and behave generally raucous. SLFS encourages viewers to consider their own personal mental health before purchasing a ticket or attending any Salt Lake Film Society Rocky Horror Picture Show event.

Here is the Rocky Horror Picture Show parental guide via IMDB.

The event is a live show and the SLFS disclaimer will apply. As live-shows are unpredictable, we encourage all ticket buyers to know the disclaimer below.

 

FULL LIVE CAST + GUEST EMCEE SUSAN STEFFEE 
10/28 (SOLD OUT), 10/29 (SOLD OUT), 10/30 (SOLD OUT), 10/31 (SOLD OUT) at 10:30 pm ; $25/person includes prop bag
 
 
 
Due to the graphic nature of this show no one under 18 will be admitted 
 
Photo ID will be required at time of entry at security entrance.
 
Admission includes Prop Kit
 
No bags, outside props, or cosplay weapons permitted 
Not intended for all viewers, audience discretion advised.
Closed Caption devices available for live shows 
 
Join us for our most raucous, wild, and very unruly screening of the motion picture film Rocky Horror Picture Show, accompanied by a live shadow-cast. This show includes a full-cast (all key characters) provided by Latter Day Transvestites/Out of the Shadows Theater Company as well as local, infamous emcee Susan Steffee.  Susan has been emcee for Rocky Horror Picture Shows at the Tower Theater for over 40 years – and counting! 
 
She’s time warped so much, you will hear lines never-heard-in-other-states or at other shows. 
 
This irreverent show will include shadow-cast reenactments of scenes, costumes to feast the eyes upon, and Susan’s mad-libs throughout the entire show. 
 

Rocky Horror emcees traditionally talk over the entire film with a microphone, so if you have interest in hearing or seeing the film in it’s pure form, without an emcee, look for the film-only screening times. 

This show is adult in nature, includes language and themes that are not for all individuals, SLFS recommends individuals do their own research to determine if an event is appropriate for them. The SLFS Rocky Horror event disclaimer is below, please view before purchasing a ticket or attending this event. 

 
 
More about the Shadow Cast: 
The Latter Day Transvestites (LDT) have been feeding your Rocky addiction since 1995 (officially). From the Blue Mouse to the Tower Theatre, and possibly before, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been playing in the Salt Lake City area. The cast started officially in 1995 and dubbed “The Little Cast of Horrors”, LDT has been through personnel changes, personal disasters, and near prosecution by the local vice squad. In 1997 we changed the name to the Latter Day Transvestites to reflect our heritage and our personal fashion preferences.
 
Come join us as we take a step to the right into our version of reality.
 
The performance by the Latter Day Transvestites is brought to you by the Out of the Shadows Theater Group (OSTG). OSTG provides an alternative aspect to the performing arts and cinema. Catering to cult film followers and encouraging audience participation. OSTG is an ongoing presence in Salt Lake City through local media, live performances and community events. Our shadow casts are known for their improvisations and witty call backs while performing to well known and loved cult films.
DRAG CAST + GUEST EMCEE AMANDA DUSOE
10/29 (SOLD OUT), 10/30 (SOLD OUT), 10/31 at 10:30 pm ; $25/person includes prop bag
 
 
Due to the graphic nature of this show no one under 18 will be admitted 
 
Photo ID will be required at time of entry at security entrance.
 
Admission includes prop-kit 
 
No bags, outside props, or cosplay weapons permitted 
Not intended for all viewers, audience discretion advised 
 Closed Caption devices available for live shows
Join us for a gender swapped, informal and raucous screening of the motion picture film Rocky Horror Picture Show, accompanied by a live shadow-cast. This show includes a full-cast (all key characters) playing roles of a differing gender than the on-screen characters, provided by Latter Day Transvestites/Out of the Shadows Theater Company as well as local, emcee Amanda Dusoe. 
 
This irreverent show will include shadow-cast reenactments of scenes, costumes to feast the eyes upon, and Amanda’s mad-libs throughout the entire show.
 
Rocky Horror emcees traditionally talk over the entire film with a microphone, so if you have interest in hearing or seeing the film in it’s pure form, without an emcee, look for the film-only screening times. The price of admission includes Prop Kits to interact with the movie and cast.  This show is adult in nature, includes language and themes that are not for all individuals, SLFS recommends individuals do their own research to determine if an event is appropriate for them. The SLFS Rocky Horror event disclaimer is below, please view before purchasing a ticket or attending this event. 
 
More about the Shadow Cast: 
The Latter Day Transvestites (LDT) have been feeding your Rocky addiction since 1995 (officially). From the Blue Mouse to the Tower Theatre, and possibly before, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been playing in the Salt Lake City area. The cast started officially in 1995 and dubbed “The Little Cast of Horrors”, LDT has been through personnel changes, personal disasters, and near prosecution by the local vice squad. In 1997 we changed the name to the Latter Day Transvestites to reflect our heritage and our personal fashion preferences. Come join us as we take a step to the right into our version of reality.
 
The performance by the Latter Day Transvestites is brought to you by the Out of the Shadows Theater Group (OSTG). OSTG provides an alternative aspect to the performing arts and cinema. Catering to cult film followers and encouraging audience participation. OSTG is an ongoing presence in Salt Lake City through local media, live performances and community events. Our shadow casts are known for their improvisations and witty call backs while performing to well known and loved cult films.
 
 
ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW 
10/29, 10/30, 10/31 at 10:30 pm ; $20/person + prop bag
 

ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE

No shadow cast or emcee

Due to the graphic nature of this show no one under 18 will be admitted Photo ID will be required at time of entry at security entrance. No bags, outside props, or cosplay weapons permitted. Not intended for all viewers, audience discretion advised.

 


All ticket proceeds benefit SLFS.   

DISCLAIMER: 

By purchasing a ticket for or participating in any Rocky Horror Picture Show event planned and controlled by Salt Lake Film Society, you agree to the following:

  1. Salt Lake Film Society Rocky Horror Picture Show events are provided with no warranty either express or implied. The Organizers, including but not limited to the Staff, Board,  Advisory, Volunteers, Cast, and Sponsors, of Salt Lake Film Society Rocky Horror Picture Show events assume no liability for any loss, theft, damage, trauma, triggering complaints or injury to property or persons, including death, whether arising in contract, negligence, equity, or otherwise.
  2. You assume all risks when participating in Salt Lake Film Society Rocky Horror Picture Show events. All participants must use care and good judgment and must obey all rules and regulations and code of conduct of Salt Lake Film Society. You will comply with all requests made by employees or volunteers or contracted staff of Salt Lake Film Society and its representatives. You must obey all laws of the State of Utah. Salt Lake Film Society reserves the right to eject any participant who does not comply with the terms of this section. Ejected participants will not be entitled to a refund or any further recourse.
  3. You will defend, indemnify and hold harmless Salt Lake Film Society and its organizers, directors, employees, consultants, agents, affiliates for any and all legal actions arising out of participation in Salt Lake Film Society Rocky Horror Picture Show events. You further agree to pay all legal fees incurred by Salt Lake Film Society that arise due to this agreement.
  4. You give Salt Lake Film Society authorization to use and post any photographs, videotapes, recordings or any other record of our events, before during or after the event for promotional use, at any area of our event venues, reporting to the media and to publish on our website or blog. You will not be entitled to any compensation for Salt Lake Film Society’s use of your name or image.
  5. Refunds for any reason will be at the discretion of Salt Lake Film Society.
  6. Salt Lake Film Society reserves the right to exclude anyone from becoming a Salt Lake Film Society participant should they choose not to accept this Agreement.