DOCUTAH TURNS 10!
Article by Adam Mast
Source (DocUtah.com)
It’s hard to believe that DocUtah just turned 10 this year! It seems like it was just yesterday that this thoughtful platform for documentary films held it’s memorable inaugural outing in beautiful, St. George, Utah. In honor of this milestone, DocUtah is back! And in typical fashion, DSU and a very passionate programming team are unloading quite the stunning roster of films and events for your viewing pleasure, so if you’re an admirer of documentaries, be sure to mark September 2nd thru September 7th on your calendars, because DocUtah is certainly where you’ll want to be!
This year, DocUtah will present 65 films–shorts and features–from 30 different countries to go along with filmmaker discussions, live musical performances, DocTalks, a very special drive-in screening of SINATRA IN PALM SPRINGS-THE PLACE HE CALLED HOME, and a handful of other film-related events you’ll be talking about long after this amazing 10th anniversary celebration comes to a close.
DocUtah has always set out to illustrate, first hand, that the very best documentaries have the power to educate, enlighten, compel, and of course, entertain, and this year’s lineup will certainly go a long way to stay true to that very concept.
We’ve been attending DocUtah since the very beginning and as expected, there are plenty of titles we’re personally excited to experience at the 2019 fest.
Have a look:
ECHO IN THE CANYON (Feature)
Nothing beats a great music doc and ECHO IN THE CANYON certainly looks to fit the bill! Given that this film includes live music and conversations with the likes of Tom Petty, Brian Wilson, Ringo Starr, Michelle Phillips, Eric Clapton, David Crosby, and Jackson Browne, how could it not?! And as an added bonus, DocUtah will present a screening of this particular documentary in the best way possible! The September 3rd screening will be part of an event called “Laurel Canyon in Zion Canyon” and will take place at the OC Tanner Amphitheater right outside of the breathtaking Zion Canyon National Park. The movie will be preceded by a live performance by a local all-star supergroup comprised of musicians Mike Moulton, Dick Ericksen, Matt Szymanski, Elaine Moulton, Steve Flaig, Bruce Bennett, and Alice Ericksen. That’s right! Live music followed by a rock-based doc with one of the most beautiful areas on the planet serving as your gorgeous backdrop!
DocUtah ECHO IN THE CANYON Synopsis:
Echo In The Canyon celebrates the explosion of popular music that came out of LA’s Laurel Canyon in the mid-60s as folk went electric and The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield and The Mamas and the Papas gave birth to the California Sound. It was a moment (1965 to 1967) when bands came to LA to emulate The Beatles and Laurel Canyon emerged as a hotbed of creativity and collaboration for a new generation of musicians who would soon put an indelible stamp on the history of American popular music. Featuring Jakob Dylan, the film explores the beginnings of the Laurel Canyon music scene. Dylan uncovers never-before-heard personal details behind the bands and their songs and how that music continues to inspire today. Echo in the Canyon contains candid conversations and performances with Brian Wilson, Ringo Starr, Michelle Phillips, Eric Clapton, Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Roger McGuinn and Jackson Browne as well as contemporary musicians they influenced such as Tom Petty (in his very last film interview), Beck, Fiona Apple, Cat Power, Regina Spektor, and Norah Jones.
FOOSBALLERS (Feature)
My wife just so happens to be quite the foosball player. She beats me at the game constantly. That said, I don’t even know that my lovely (and extremely competitive) better half could take on the subject at the heart of this documentary. FOOSBALLERS looks like grand eccentric fun. The kind of thing that you might expect from a director like Christopher Guest. Only this isn’t a mockumentary. This is the real deal!
DocUtah FOOSBALLERS Synopsis:
The quirky and heartwarming story of a group of professional athletes the world doesn’t know exists – professional table soccer players. Through an ensemble cast, the film explores a never before seen piece of American history and shares the stories of players around the country as they prepare for the sport’s most prestigious event, the World Championships.
GOING ATTRACTIONS: THE DEFINITIVE STORY OF THE MOVIE PALACE (Feature)
GOING ATTRACTIONS is the ultimate movie lover’s documentary and I was thrilled when DocUtah programmers suggested I champion the film at the festival this year because obviously, I’m quite the movie fan. I spent my formidable years a hop, jump, and skip away from Hollywood, and a trip to the legendary Chinese Theater was a weekly occurrence for me. But going to the Chinese was always so much more than a night at the movies. It was an experience! This documentary does a great job delving into the history of movie palaces like the Chinese and when it’s over, you’ll wish that the old school movie palace would make a comeback.
DocUtah GOING ATTRACTIONS Synopsis:
The movie business has evolved over the last century from penny arcades and nickelodeons to the grand movie palaces built by the studios. Over the decades the grand movie palaces have been challenged by television, decaying down towns, multiplexes, and cell phone cinema.
JILL BILCOCK: DANCING THE INVISIBLE (Feature)
Editing is an integral part of the filmmaking process. There’s no doubt about that. In fact, it could be argued that the film is virtually re-constructed in the editing room. Jill Bilcock may be one of the best editors in the business even though she isn’t always mentioned in the same breath as many of the greats. That’s okay, though, because, through her outstanding contributions to movies like MURIEL’S WEDDING, MOULIN ROUGE, and ROAD TO PERDITION, it’s perfectly clear that the work speaks for itself. And through this insightful documentary, you’ll get a look at that work (as well as Bilcock’s process) first hand.
DocUtah JILL BILCOCK: DANCING THE INVISIBLE Synopsis:
Australian film editor Jill Bilcock is one of the world’s leading film artists.
Her work on beloved films such as Strictly Ballroom, Romeo+Juliet, Muriel’s Wedding, The Dressmaker, Road To Perdition, Japanese Story, Moulin Rouge!, Red Dog and Elizabeth, has established her as one of the world’s most daring and in-demand editors, highly sought after by leading international film directors and top film studios – yet she remains relatively unknown.Interviews with Shekhar Kapur, Baz Luhrmann, Fred Schepisi, Jocelyn Moorhouse and Ana Kokkinos together with actor Cate Blanchett combined with rare and previously unseen footage of Jill’s process in the editing suite provides a captivating and unprecedented insight into the artistry of film editing.
KOI (Feature)
This film looks hard-hitting and poignant in equal measure. After a Tsunami kills thousands off the coast of Japan, the search for lost love ones continues well after the damage has been done. This looks a like a tough but undeniably compelling watch.
DocUtah KOI Synopsis:
Eight years have passed since the Tsunami hit the northern part of Japan’s coast in 2011. More than 20,000 people lost their lives, and many others are still missing. As time went by the families of the victims abandoned all hope and stopped looking for their loved ones. However, this is the story of two men who are fully committed to their respective searching activities. Perseverance is what pushed an ex-convict to look for redemption by helping the victims’ families find the remains of their loved ones, and a bus driver to start diving in order to search for his wife.
NEED A HAND? (Short)
This one strikes a chord on a personal level as I happen to be the father of a disabled child. But what I love about what I’m hearing in regard to this short is the very idea that it suggests that “disability” is a non-existent word in the grand scheme of things.
DocUtah NEED A HAND? Synopsis:
A candid conversation about disability and how it affects both the people who have them and the people around them.
ONE IN A MILLION (Short)
In addition to a compelling subject and an intriguing look at the medical profession, I’m loving the overall look of this short. Beautifully shot!
DocUtah ONE IN A MILLION Synopsis:
By the time Tyler turned 10, he lost his ability to walk, see, and hear, but the cause remained a mystery. His family eventually discovered a rare disease diagnosis program, where scientists searched Tyler’s DNA for clues to his condition. What they discovered led to a life-changing treatment.
A SACRED JOURNEY (Feature)
This looks to be a raw and heartfelt glimpse into the human condition and how the misfortune of a noble man forces one of his somewhat carefree family members to re-evaluate what he’s been doing with his own life. I have a feeling I’m going to need a box of Kleenex during this one.
DocUtah A SACRED JOURNEY Synopsis:
When one brother is diagnosed with a shattering illness, another brother is forced to face his demons. The family struggles to pick up the pieces and stay together in this powerful portrait of love and what it means to truly care for each other.
STILL PLAYS WITH TRAINS (Short)
As a kid, I was always fascinated by trains. Oh heck, I’m still fascinated by them. Not at the same level as the man at the heart of this short doc, though. Still, I don’t think you even necessarily have to be passionate about train sets to find this individual relatable.
DocUtah STILL PAYS WITH TRAINS Synopsis:
Still Plays With Trains captures one man’s passion to share the joy of childhood. By recreating his 10th birthday with a 3000 square foot replica of the old Lackawanna Railroad in his basement, he gives us a nostalgic glimpse of what it was like growing up in the 1950’s.
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND PLAYED AT MY HIGH SCHOOL (Short)
They had me at “The Velvet Underground Played at My High School.” Beyond that, I love that this is animated! Quite an interesting approach at documentary filmmaking.
DocUtah THE VELVET UNDERGROUND PLAYED AT MY HIGH SCHOOL Synopsis:
This animated documentary is the story of the Velvet Underground’s disastrous first public performance. While on stage for merely 20 minutes, The Velvet Underground performed three songs: ‘There She Goes’, ‘Venus in Furs’, and ‘Heroin’. The Summit High School audience responded with, as a band member recalled in 1983, a “murmur of surprise that greeted the appearance” that “increased to a roar of disbelief as the band started to play” which “swelled to a mighty howl of outrage and bewilderment…” Half the audience walked out.
OTHER NOTEWORTHY “2019 DOCUTAH” TITLES:
APOLLO 11 (Feature)
FUNNY YOU NEVER KNEW (Feature)
HOWEVER LONG (Feature)
THE NEW NORMAL (Feature)
POOH: THE DERRICK ROSE STORY (Feature)
RELENTLESS (Short)
SETTING THE BAR: A CRAFT CHOCOLATE ORIGIN STORY (Feature)
SINATRA IN PALM SPRINGS-THE PLACE HE CALLED HOME (Feature)
A TINY SPARK (Short)
WHO KILLED LT. VAN DORN? (Feature)
For all DocUtah information including a look at the entire 2019 lineup and how to purchase tickets, CLICK HERE!
For last year’s article CLICK HERE!
