If you think “Utah” and “film festival,” chances are you’re going to be thinking of one with its home base up in the snow-covered mountains. But who says that summer in Salt Lake City can’t also be perfect for intriguing, challenging movies?
The Salt Lake City Film Festival kicks off its second year with a lineup that includes a pair of documentaries sure to be of interest to local audiences. Cleanflix (pictured), from co-directors Andrew James and Joshua Ligairi, traces the controversy that erupted when several Utah retailers began renting and selling versions of popular Hollywood movies with potentially offensive content edited out. Filmmakers and studios protested the action, leading to a legal battle that tested the lines between free enterprise and free speech.
For Sons of Perdition, filmmakers Tyler Measom and Jennilyn Merten followed boys and young men emerging from polygamist communities and trying to find a place in the wider world of public schools, jobs and previously unknown freedom. The directors and some of the films subjects are scheduled to attend the post-screening Q&A sessions.
A little bit of Park City will trickle into the weekend, as the lineup also includes the Sundance 2010 drama One Too Many Mornings and the Slamdance 2010 documentary American Jihadist. But the Salt Lake City Film Festival isn’t just a coattails-rider; it’s a chance for a festival experience without having to wear a winter coat at all.
Salt Lake City Film Festival @ Tower Theatre, Brewvies Cinema Pub, Broadway Centre Cinemas and University of Utah Post Theater, Aug. 12-15, showtimes vary. $10 per screening. SLCFF.com
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