When it comes to film as an art form and determining its importance to our community, Salt Lake Film Society might have some fairly strong opinions with regards to this discussion. The mission of our organization is focused on utilizing the power that film has to inspire and educate our community, and our team here at SLFS is highly motivated to help achieve that mission. We love film, but more importantly, we deeply believe in film’s importance, as well as our role in providing access to it in Salt Lake City.
For many of our staff here, the independent theaters we operate, the independent films that we show, and Salt Lake Film Society itself have a deeper purpose and relevance to us than just being our jobs. Many of us have lived in the Salt Lake City area for a long time, and we have had our own amazing experiences at Tower or Broadway, whether seeing a local documentary with a Q&A after, or rediscovering a classic during a Summer Late Night showing.
Our love and respect for the art form of film translates not only into the care we put into our jobs, but reminds us everyday why SLFS matters not just to Salt Lake City, but also to its staff who whole-heartedly strive to achieve its mission.
A Legacy of Independent Film in Salt Lake City
Many of our team have lived the Salt Lake Film Society experience, both as staff and as patrons or members. We’ve been to see movies at the Broadway Centre Cinemas or Tower Theatre as simply local cinephiles, and we have seen Salt Lake City grow and grow and grow over the years. But a critical part of why SLFS matters so much to our team comes from the legacy of our impact in the Salt Lake City community. We have been operating our independent theaters in the Salt Lake Valley for over two decades now, with core staff members who were there at the beginning still working at SLFS today.
With such entrenched roots in not only the local art house film scene, but the existence and mission of Salt Lake Film Society itself, our staff continues to take plenty of pleasure and pride in supporting a vibrant cultural and arts community in our city. We are truly fulfilled by what we do, and this fulfillment is exemplified through programs like our annual Cultural Film Tours (Masima: Pacific Island, Filméxico, Climate Change Film Tour, L’Chaim Jewish Film Tour).
Creating local partnerships, sharing impactful stories, and organizing panel discussions that take the discourse from the big-screen and into the realities and solutions of the world is the quintessential, cross-cultural impact we have, not just as an organization, but as people who live in and care about Salt Lake City too.
The Independent Theater Experience
While the lasting social impact that we hope to have in Salt Lake City is a driving force behind why SLFS matters to us, one of the more tangible manifestations of our mission is preserving the independent theater experience. We are purposeful in the programming of films we offer, and the experience of watching these films on the big-screen with other people remains the soul of our organization.
Communal cinema is indescribably powerful. When people can be present with each other, existing in the same space, watching the same film, and sharing a common physical, mental, and emotional experience, it fosters an intimacy with your fellow person that is foundational to cultivating tolerance, compassion, and human decency, through the arts.
At Salt Lake Film Society, we are beyond passionate about our role in offering this theater experience to others, mainly because we’ve experienced its magic ourselves time and time again. Sharing tears, laughs, and morally-challenging revelations with total strangers is a transcendent and liberating human experience. Through our independent theaters, Tower and Broadway, we are proud to bring these experiences to our community, and create a welcoming space for people to watch, connect, and introspect.
Independent Theaters in Salt Lake City – Salt Lake Film Society
To many of our patrons, members, and community supporters, Salt Lake Film Society matters as much to them as it does to us. We couldn’t be prouder of how supportive and committed our community continues to be. Our non-profit organization has worked diligently to support the amplification of diversity, engage the hearts and minds of our community, and uphold the legacy of exhibiting quality independent films in Salt Lake City.
Through our work and our engagement, SLFS has become a vital contributor to actualizing the belief that we can have a positive impact in this world we live in. To its staff, Salt Lake Film Society matters a great deal to us; our work is more than just a paycheck, it’s a mission that we truly believe in, and we come to work everyday to make our community feel the same.
If you feel a similar importance and passion about Salt Lake Film Society, and its impact on your life and your community, please let us know. We would love to hear more about the stories and experiences of our patrons and members, and publish them on this blog for others to see. Email jessesindelar@saltlakefilmsociety.org for more details.
