DOCUTAH Festival Guide 2026

U T A H

T E C H

U N I V E R S I T Y

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P R E S E N T S

EDITOR

DIRECTOR

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

2026 SPonsors

WRITER

St. George

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Susan & Jeffery Jarvis #DOCUTAH2026

WELCOME Friends of DOCUTAH, On behalf of Utah Tech University, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 16th annual DOCUTAH International Film Festival!

Shane B. Smeed President Utah Tech University

In partnership with the City of St. George, Utah Tech University is proud to present DOCUTAH to celebrate powerful storytelling that highlights the importance of being lifelong learners. Documentary film has a unique ability to illuminate diverse perspectives, spark curiosity, and deepen our understanding of the world around us — values that align closely with our mission as a university.

This year’s festival showcases 57 films from local, national, and international filmmakers, reflecting both the global reach and the deeply personal nature of documentary storytelling.

We are honored that Southern Utah serves as a gathering place for filmmakers, students, and audiences who believe in the power of film to inform, inspire, and connect communities.

Student participation throughout the festival exemplifies Utah Tech’s commitment to our “active learning. active life.” approach to education. By participating in the festival and interacting with you, our students are not only learning about the craft of storytelling but also gaining hands-on experience that prepares them to think critically, collaborate creatively, and engage meaningfully with the world beyond the classroom.

DOCUTAH also represents a lasting and impactful partnership in arts advocacy. Utah Tech University is grateful to work alongside the City of St. George, Greater Zion, and the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity to strengthen our region’s cultural landscape and elevate the arts as a vital part of community and economic vitality.

Thank you for being part of this extraordinary festival. I hope your time at DOCUTAH is inspiring, thought-provoking, and memorable.

Welcome, and enjoy the festival!

CONTENTS Welcome............................................ 3 Our Team........................................... 7 Ticketing............................................ 8

Shane B. Smeed President, Utah Tech University

Features........................................... 10 Schedule.......................................... 16 Shorts.............................................. 22 docutah.com

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WELCOME Let me be the first to welcome you to the DOCUTAH International Film Festival in stunning St. George, Utah.

In 2014, just two years into my tenure on the City Council, Emmy Award winning filmmaker and Founder of DOCUTAH, Phil Tuckett, debuted a film titled My Father’s Highway as part of DOCUTAH’s fourth season.

The film holds a special place in my family’s history, as one of the subjects of the film was my father, Jimmie Hughes, Sr. Not only did this incredible film share the history of this beloved area, but it shared the history of many hard-working people — including one whose life was lost laboring on a project that would ultimately improve and enrich the lives of all who live or pass through here.

Jimmie Hughes

Mayor, St. George City

I never met my father, but I know his legacy will live on as his story, and the stories of others, are told and retold through the medium of film.

Like My Father’s Highway, DOCUTAH, in addition to the many other programs of the City of St. George’s Parks and Community Services Department, improves and enriches the lives of those in our community.

Whether you live here or you are just passing through, I hope you take advantage of the great opportunity to see the stories highlighted in this year’s film festival and enjoy our beautiful city.

Sincerely, Jimmie Hughes St. George City Mayor

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FILM GREAT THINGS I N G R E AT E R Z I O N

With its abundant natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, Greater Zion is truly a premier destination for filmmakers seeking stunning locations to bring their visions to life.

HURRICA NE | IVINS | SA N TA CL AR A | S T. G EO RG E | WAS HI N GTO N

F I L M .G R E AT E RZ I O N .CO M

film

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O U R Team UTAH TECH DOCUTAH STAFF Dr. Jeffery Jarvis Dean, College of the Arts

Karman Wilson Assistant Dean of Professional Arts / Executive Director

Tisa Zito Digital Film Producer / Director of Programming & DOCTalk Masterclass Coordinator

Hans Glasmann Digital Film Program Director / Director of Production & Scheduling

Karin Edwards Director of Lodging & Retail

Wendy Womack Director of Operations & Volunteer Coordinator

Denny Munson Technical Director

Sara Cordner Film and Media Specialist

Luke Stocking Graphic Design Specialist

ADVISORY TEAM John Burns Film Archivist/Utah Tech Library

Terry Bleak Executive Assistant to the Dean

Amy Echeverria Utah Tech Event Production Manager

Jeanine Nay College of the Arts Accountant

Quincy Newby Webmaster

Chloe Tate Administrative Assistant for Music, Theatre, Dance & Film

Phil Tuckett Emmy Award Winning Filmmaker & Founder

Ben Tyrrel Director of Arts Programming

Glenn Webb Associate Dean, College of the Arts

Jay Wilson Utah Tech Production Specialist

FILM STUDENT INTERNS Brody Anderson Camera Operator

Makaiylah DeVere

Anthony Paredes DOCTalk Masterclass Assistance

Matthew Ray

Camera Operator

Digital Downloads

Anthony Garcia

Tyler Vandenberg

A/V Assistance

Camera Operator

Kennedy Lenhard Filmmaker Relations

Darren Wages DOCTalk Masterclass Assistance

Konnor Minor A/V Assistance

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TICKETING Festival Venue

Megaplex Theatres at Sunset 1091 N. Bluff St. St. George, UT Enjoy state-of-the-art theatres with luxury seating and premium sound.

Ticketing

All Festival Badge - $75 Day Pass - $30 Single Film - $10 All Students with Student ID - FREE

FREE EVENTS - Open to the public

DOCTalk Masterclass

In-depth conversations with filmmakers February 26 & 27 • 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Utah Tech University, 225 S University Ave. Holland Centennial Commons #537 Zion Room Coffee provided

Awards Ceremony

Celebrate the winning films and filmmakers February 28 • 8:00 PM Megaplex Theatres at Sunset, Theatre 5

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#DOCUTAH2026

AD

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Feature F I L M S

1:00:00

ABOUT FACE Director(s): Jennifer Rita Lin Producer(s): Jon Funabiki, Cory Lin Stieg, Jennifer Lin Two Asian American dancers try to persuade the world’s leading ballet companies to jettison Asian stereotypes, including dancing in yellowface.

Georgina Pazcoguin and Phil Chan battle entrenched tradition and political pushback.

SS EX

AN AMERICAN STORYTELLER: THE ART OF ARNOLD FRIBERG Director(s): Bruce Johnson Producer(s): Elizabeth Carlyle, Kim Cooper, Curtis Wallace, and Marc Whitmore An American Storyteller: The Art of Arnold Friberg is a captivating documentary exploring the life, faith, and legacy of one of the most iconic illustrators of the 20th century.

1:25:10

1:26:17

AMONG THIEVES

ANXIETY CLUB

Director(s): Trevor J. Wallace, Gino R. Caspari

Director(s): Wendy Lobel Producer(s): Wendy Lobel, Carolin Ehrenburg, Jonathan Gray, Scott Sinkler, Jeff Spivack, Janelle Draper

An archaeologist’s journey deep into the remote wilderness of Northwestern China in search of longlost ancient tombs, leads to the discovery of a ruthless tomb raiding operation. He infiltrates the black market unraveling a network of corrupt dealers and complicit museums to protect a priceless treasure.

SS Sensitive subject matter for some viewers

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1:05:00

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EX Explicit language

The film provides access to the private exposure therapy sessions of Tiffany Jenkins – a comic and author with millions of social media followers – as she confronts her deepest fears with grit and self-deprecating humor.

V Violence

FF Family Friendly

SX Themes of sexuality

SS

SS

0:57:11

V

1:42:00

ATOMIC ECHOES

BEDROCK

Director(s): Beatrice Becette Producer(s): Beatrice Becette

Director(s): Kinga Michalska Producer(s): Danae Elon, Paul Cadieux, Ashley Duong

Two friends, connected by family histories on opposite sides of World War II, set out to explore the lasting trauma of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

While Japanese hibakusha endure lifelong health complications and psychological scars, American Atomic Veterans who witnessed the bombings’ aftermath also struggle with radiation-related illnesses and PTSD.

For the last eighty years, everyday life has been expanding into sites of Holocaust across Poland. BEDROCK weaves together the stories of Poles who call these spaces home.

SS

V

EX SX

0:44:41

1:42:00

BEFORE THE MOON FALLS

BEING ADOLPH GASSER

Director(s): Kimberlee Bassford Producer(s): Kimberlee Bassford, Linda Goldstein Knowlton

Director(s): John C Aliano Producer(s): John C Aliano

BEFORE THE MOON FALLS was 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.

Adolph Gasser contemplates the life of being a camera repairman, WWII veteran, inventor, best friend of legendary photographer Ansel Adams and owner of a business that supports local filmmakers and employees to flourish as artists and innovators. With threats of eminent domain, technology shifts and new business model challenges he fights for the survival of his San Francisco based Adolph Gasser Incorporated store.

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Feature F I L M S

SS

BETTER UP THERE Director(s): Mathis Dumas | Producer(s): Mathis Dumas Better Up There, a 45-minute film portrait, is the moving story of a unique life, that of Léo Slemett. Through his rise in the world of freeride skiing, Léo wages an incessant battle against adversity to pursue his dreams and push his limits. In the grandiose setting of the high mountains and the Freeride World Tour, we see Léo face incredible challenges and setbacks. We observe how the loss of his two life partners shapes Léo’s life, how he learns to live with this pain and continues to move forward.

EX

CARTAPESTA: THE CARNIVAL OF FANO Director(s): Andrea Lodovichetti Producer(s): Andrea Lodovichetti, Luca Caprara, Francesco Appoggetti Italy’s oldest Carnival, memories, footages, a very powerful imagery rooted over the centuries in one city: Fano. A tradition, that of papier-mâché, and its float masters who, generation after generation, have been able to blend creativity, engineering and manual skills to build those traveling stages called floats.

FF

1:35:00

DRIVEN BY ANGELS

DUST AND COLOR

Director(s): Brett Buescher, Nick Costello Producer(s): Nick Costello, Brett Buescher

Director(s): Filipe Amado Producer(s): Iwan Russell-Jones, Cristina Amado, Filipe Amado, Alexandra Seabra

A documentary of speed, loss, and the angels that keep us moving. 62-year-old Vaughn Shafer comes out of retirement in a bold attempt to reclaim his title as the fastest man on a motorized skateboard.

What begins as a comeback story quickly spirals into chaos as his crew battles setbacks at the track and the loss of one of their own.

SS Sensitive subject matter for some viewers

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1:29:00

0:44:41

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EX Explicit language

1:05:00

Dust & Color follows nine artists from the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Bolivia as they navigate the complex intersection of creativity and meaning through vulnerability and honest questioning. From Scott Erickson’s reimagined visual language in Seattle to Paulo Nazareth’s community-building music in São Paulo, these creators demonstrate that the most profound encounters with purpose emerge from embracing uncertainty rather than proclaiming easy answers.

V Violence

FF Family Friendly

SX Themes of sexuality

1:23:00

1:23:56

GAS STATION ATTENDANT, THE

HOLE STORY, THE

Director(s): Karla Murthy Producer(s): Rajal Pitroda

Director(s): Elijah Sullivan

A daughter pieces together her father’s life — weaving the story of his remarkable journey from the streets of India with the realities of life in the United States.

Using home movies past and present, she creates a visual diary to explore the American dream, love and loss, and the human capacity to survive.

FF

The discovery of a sixty-foot man-made hole on a California mountain implicates a small town’s unusual local industry in a bizarre unsolved crime. Abandoning the conventional investigative format, THE HOLE STORY unfolds as a multi-faceted oral history, immersing us in personal mythologies and painting a haunting and unsettling portrait of a community shaped by fringe belief.

FF

1:04:41

1:29:12

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

INVISIBLE MAMMAL, THE

Director(s): Tim Rollins Producer(s): Tim Rollins

Director(s): Kristin Tieche Producer(s): Kristin Tieche, Holly Mosher, Windy Borman, Matthew Podolsky

Lehi High’s theater, a creative sanctuary led by Mindy Nelsen and fueled by Randy Blackburn’s selfless dedication, faces a bittersweet farewell. How will this loss reshape their cherished community?

Against the backdrop of the sixth mass extinction, an all-woman team of biologists set out to save bats from a deadly fungal disease, but when the COVID-19 pandemic interrupts their work, they are sent down a path of discovery that illuminates the connections between bat conservation and the spread of infectious disease.

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Feature F I L M S

SS

1:16:00

1:17:02

LOVING JOHN

MOMENT IN THE SUN, A

Director(s): Robert Rooy Producer(s): Kimberlee Bassford, Anne de Mare, Robert Rooy

Director(s): Mia Weinberger, Thomas van Kalken Producer(s): Mia Weinberger, Thomas van Kalken, Jacob Richardson, Aida Vucic, Tony Castle, Roxy Hunt

LOVING JOHN is a deeply compassionate documentary that grapples with death and dying with vulnerable honesty and splashes of humor. John Godinet is an irrepressible Pacific Islander and ultra-runner living with his husband Peter in rural Maryland. He’s outrun abuse as a teenager and discrimination as an adult, but now has a new adversary: ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease).

In April 2024, Houlton, Maine – a town of 6,000 – was the final destination in the United States to see the 2024 total solar eclipse, and the people of Houlton expected tens of thousands of visitors to descend upon their home to witness this once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event. Filmmakers Mia Weinberger and Thomas van Kalken captured the community of Houlton as they came together to host an influx of strangers and celebrate an incredibly rare privilege: living in the Path Of Totality.

FF

1:22:00

NO BABY ON BOARD

PATHWAY TO HOPE WITH JANE CLAYSON JOHNSON

Director(s): Julia Kots A woman who decides not to have children embarks on a journey to donate her frozen eggs while documenting the personal stories of other childless women, exploring the diverse reasons behind their choices.

SS Sensitive subject matter for some viewers

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0:57:49

EX Explicit language

Director(s): Chantelle Squires Producer(s): Jane Clayson Johnson, Chantelle Squires Award-winning journalist Jane Clayson Johnson embarks on a transformative journey across Africa to unveil a compelling narrative of faith, resilience, and triumph.

“Pathway to Hope” tells the story of a groundbreaking that endeavors to bring higher education to people who once believed a university degree was beyond their reach.with purpose emerge from embracing uncertainty rather than proclaiming easy answers.

V Violence

FF Family Friendly

SX Themes of sexuality

SS

SS EX SX

0:52:49

1:26:40

PRESIDENTS’ TAILOR, THE

REFORMERS, THE

Director(s): Rick Minnich Producer(s): Mike Brandin, Rick Minnich

Director(s): Michael Nayna Producer(s): Mark Conway

Martin Greenfield learned to sew while mending shirts for the Gestapo in Auschwitz when he was fifteen, and went on to make suits for US presidents and stars. This is the story of America’s greatest tailor, and the bespoke menswear empire he left behind.

The Reformers is the behind-the-scenes documentary on the infamous Grievance Studies Affair — a provocative experiment that shook academia to its core. Convinced that the cultural studies departments of universities throughout the Western World are laundering poorly researched activism through peer review, a small team of academic outsiders devises a bold plan to expose the problem from within.

EX

1:30:00

RISING PHOENIX: A NEW REVOLUTION Director(s): Sheridan O’Donnell Producer(s): Greg Nugent, Barnaby Spurrier, John Battsek, Sarah Thomson, Jim LeBrecht, Lauren Ridloff With the LA 2028 Paralympics as its backdrop, Rising Phoenix: A New Revolution positions the Games as more than just a sporting event—it’s a revolutionary platform for reimagining how the world views disability.

The film explores the lives of Paralympic athletes.

1:25:13

SAFFRON ROBE Director(s): Jane Centofante Producer(s): Jane Centofante, Jayne Hufschmid, Kraig Butrum An ambitious spiritual leader, Abbot Onekeo Sittivong defied convention by establishing a new school for the his country’s poor and undereducated children.

But something else is happening at this school in a misty forest. The abbot and his fellow saffron-robed monks and young novices are working tirelessly to revitalize ancient Lao Theravada Buddhist practices and education almost lost to history.

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Thursday, February 26 9:00 AM- 11:15 AM

Remnants DOCTALK Masterclass: 0:22:34 THEATRE 4

12:00 PM

Being Adolph Gasser 1:57:11

3:00 PM

THEATRE 5 Cartapesta: The Carnival of Fano

THEATRE 6 Among Thieves SS EX 1:25:10

1:29:00

12:15 PM BLOCK

2:00 PM

2:30 PM BLOCK

1:00 PM

HCC537 5th floor Zion Room with Michael Catenacci

Fallout & Flowers 0:20:17

Anxiety Club 1:26:17

No Baby on Board 1:22:00

A Moment in the Sun 1:17:02

Atomic Echoes SS 0:57:31

The Reformers SS EX SX 1:26:40

About Face 1:00:00

The Hole Story 1:23:56

Bedrock SS V 1:42:00

6:00 PM

7:00 PM

6:00 PM FEATURE BLOCK

5:00 PM

4:15 PM BLOCK

4:00 PM

Legend Has It: The Remarkable Rise of Stephen McCain EX 0:16:00

Stronger Than the Wave SS 1:31:07

8:00 PM Film blocks followed by 15 minute Q&A SS Sensitive subject matter for some viewers Nominated for DOCUTAH award

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EX Explicit language Filmmaker Attending

V Violence

FF Family Friendly

SX Themes of sexuality

Friday, February 27 9:00 AM- 11:15 AM

Before the

DOCTALK Moon Falls Masterclass: 0:22:34

3:00 PM

4:00 PM

5:00 PM

6:00 PM

7:00 PM

1:15 PM BLOCK

2:15 PM SHORTS BLOCK

2:00 PM

THEATRE 5

THEATRE 6

Pathway to Hope FF 0:57:49

An American Storyteller: The Art of Arnold Friberg 1:05:00

Dust and Color FF 1:05:00

In Cold Blood 0:35:31

What the River Knows FF 0:34:14

Secrets of Great Salt Lake FF

0:45:00

Gabe’s Last Leg 0:10:00 Spirit of the Driftless: Preserving Our Legacy FF 0:26:46

UT Digital Film Department Student Showcase

The Congress 0:10:58 Ranger of the North 0:30:00

As I Witness SS V 0:08:25 The Open Veins of Potosi 0:12:39 Blue Blooded Taxidermy 0:05:18 Twin Gimmick 0:08:13 SLC Comb FF 0:04:37 Sheepdogs 0:25:43

Distilled SS 0:23:36 The Invisible Mammal FF 1:29:12

Driven By Angels EX 1:35:00

Home Away From Home

Remnants 0:22:34

The Gas Station Attendant 1:35:00

4:30 PM BLOCK

1:00 PM

6:30 PM FEATURE BLOCK

12:00 PM

11:15 AM BLOCK

THEATRE 4

HCC537 5th floor Zion Room with Kimberlee Bassford

FF

1:04:41

Better Up There SS 0:44:41

8:00 PM

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Saturday, February 28 THEATRE 4

12:00 PM

11:00 AM BLOCK

11:00 AM

4:00 PM

5:00 PM

2:15 PM BLOCK

3:00 PM

4:00 PM FEATURE BLOCK

2:00 PM

1:00 PM SHORTS BLOCK

1:00 PM

Voices: The Danny Gans Story

Saffron Robe 1:25:13

EX

THEATRE 6 Loving John SS 1:16:00

1:42:00

XXY-47 0:12:11 Oh Yeah!

0:17:00 Earth Mother 0:13:13

I Wanted to Hear Your Voice EX 0:12:00 Monster Slayer SS EX V SX 0:21:00 My Friend Laird 0:09:46

Masai Mara 0:03:00 White Nine 0:29:15 Goddess FF 0:08:00

Rising Phoenix: A New Revolution EX

This is Pike County SS 1:17:33

The Presidents’ Tailor SS 0:52:49

Before the Moon Falls

Shuffle 1:21:56

1:30:00

Snowland SS V SX EX 1:30:00

SS V EX SX

1:40:40

6:00 PM

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

6:00 P FEATURE BLOCK

7:00 PM

THEATRE 5

1:44:00

8:00 PM

8:00 PM

AWARDS CEREMONY

Theatre 5

Film blocks followed by 15 minute Q&A SS Sensitive subject matter for some viewers Nominated for DOCUTAH award

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EX Explicit language Filmmaker Attending

V Violence

FF Family Friendly

SX Themes of sexuality

schedule At a glance, [A-Z] About Face - Feature....................................................................................................................................... Thursday, February 26, 4:15 pm, Theatre 6, 1:00:00 A Moment in the Sun - Feature...................................................................................................................... Thursday, February 26, 2:30 pm, Theatre 6, 1:17:02 An American Storyteller: The Art of Arnold Friberg - Feature.......................................................................Friday, February 27, 11:45 am, Theatre 5, 1:05:00 Among Thieves - Feature- [SS, EX]...............................................................................................................Thursday, February 26, 12:15 pm, Theatre 6, 1:25:10 Anxiety Club - Feature.................................................................................................................................... Thursday, February 26, 2:30 pm, Theatre 4, 1:26:17 As I Witness - Short- [SS, V]................................................................................................................ Friday, February 27, 2:15 Shorts Block, Theatre 6, 0:08:25 Atomic Echoes - Feature- [SS]........................................................................................................................ Thursday, February 26, 4:15 pm, Theatre 4, 0:57:31 Being Adolph Gasser - Feature....................................................................................................................Thursday, February 26, 12:15 pm, Theatre 4, 1:57:11 Bedrock - Feature- [SS, V]............................................................................................................................... Thursday, February 26, 6:00 pm, Theatre 6, 1:42:00 Before the Moon Falls Feature - [SS, V, EX, SX] ............................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 4:00 pm, Theatre 5, 1:40:40 Better Up There - Feature- [SS]................................................................................................... Friday, February 27, 6:30 pm Feature Block, Theatre 5, 0:44:41 Blue Blooded Taxidermy - Student Short.....................................................................................Friday, February 27, 2:15 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 6, 0:05:18 Cartapesta: The Carnival of Fano - Foreign Feature...................................................................................Thursday, February 26, 12:15 pm, Theatre 5, 1:29:00 Congress, The - Short....................................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 2:15 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 4, 0:10:58 Distilled- Foreign Short - [SS].......................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 2:15 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 4, 0:23:36 Driven By Angels - Feature- [EX]..........................................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 4:30 pm, Theatre 5, 1:35:00 Dust and Color - Feature- [FF]............................................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 11:45 am, Theatre 6, 1:05:00 Earth Mother - Student Short....................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 1:00 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 4, 0:13:13 Fallout & Flowers - Short..................................................................................................... Thursday, February 26, 12:15 pm Feature Block, Theatre 6, 0:20:17 Gabe’s Last Leg - Short..................................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 2:15 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 4, 0:10:00 Gas Station Attendant, The - Feature.................................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 4:30 pm, Theatre 6, 1:23:00 Goddess - Short- [FF]...............................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 1:00 pm, Shorts Block, Theatre 6, 0:08:00 Hole Story, The - Feature................................................................................................................................ Thursday, February 26, 6:00 pm, Theatre 5, 1:23:56 Home Away from Home - Feature - [FF]..............................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 6:30 pm, Theatre 4, 1:04:41 I Wanted to Hear Your Voice - Short- [SS]..............................................................................Saturday, February 28, 1:00 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 5, 0:12:00 In Cold Blood - Foreign Short................................................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 1:15 pm, Theatre 4, 0:35:31 Invisible Mammal, The - Feature- [FF].................................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 4:30 pm, Theatre 4, 1:29:12 Legend Has It: The Remarkable Rise of Stephen McCain - Student Short- [EX]................ Thursday, February 26, 4:15 pm Feature Block, Theatre 4, 0:16:00 Loving John - Feature- [SS]...........................................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 11:00 am, Theatre 6, 1:16:00 Masai Mara - Short....................................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 1:00 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 6, 0:03:00 Monster Slayer - Short- [ EX, V, SX]..........................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 1:00 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 5, 0:21:00 My Friend Laird - Student Short................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 1:00 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 5, 0:09:46 No Baby on Board - Feature........................................................................................................................... Thursday, February 26, 2:30 pm, Theatre 5, 1:22:00 Oh Yeah - Short.........................................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 1:00 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 4, 0:12:11 Open Veins of Potosi, The - Short................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 2:15 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 6, 0:12:39 Pathway to Hope - Feature- [FF]........................................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 11:45 am, Theatre 4, 0:57:49 Presidents’ Tailor, The - Foreign Feature- [SS]................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 2:15 pm, Theatre 6, 0:52:49 Ranger of the North - Short...........................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 2:15 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 4, 0:30:00 Reformers, The - Feature - [SS, EX, SX].......................................................................................................... Thursday, February 26, 4:15 pm, Theatre 5, 1:26:40 Remnants - Short.........................................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 6:30 pm Feature Block, Theatre 5, 0:22:33 Rising Phoenix: A New Revolution - Feature- [EX]........................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 2:15 pm, Theatre 4, 1:30:00 Saffron Robe - Feature...................................................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 11:00 am, Theatre 4, 1:25:13 Secrets of Great Salt Lake - Feature - [FF]..........................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 1:15 pm, Theatre 6, 0:45:00 Sheepdogs - Short..........................................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 2:15 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 6, 0:25:43 Shuffle - Feature...............................................................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 4:00 pm, Theatre 6, 1:21:56 SLC Comb - Student Short- [FF].....................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 2:15 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 6, 0:04:37 Snowland - Feature- [SS, V, SX, EX].................................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 4:00 pm, Theatre 4, 1:30:00 Spirit of the Driftless: Preserving Our Legacy - Short- [FF].......................................................Friday, February 27, 2:15 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 4, 0:26:46 Stronger Than the Wave - Foreign Feature- [SS]........................................................................................... Thursday, February 26, 6:00 pm, Theatre 4, 1:31:07 Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story - Feature.....................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 6:00 pm, Theatre 5, 1:44:00 This is Pike County - Feature- [SS].................................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 2:15 pm, Theatre 5, 1:17:33 Twin Gimmick - Student Short.......................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 2:15 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 6, 0:08:30 Voices: The Danny Gans Story - Feature- [EX]............................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 11:00 am, Theatre 5, 1:42:00 What the River Knows - Short- [EX]....................................................................................................................Friday, February 27, 1:15 pm, Theatre 5, 0:34:14 White Nine - Short.....................................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 1:00 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 6, 0:29:15 XXY47 - Student Short..............................................................................................................Saturday, February 28, 1:00 pm Shorts Block, Theatre 4, 0:12:11

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Feature F I L M S

0:45:00

SECRETS OF THE GREAT SALT LAKE

SHUFFLE

Director(s): Tyler Mifflin Producer(s): Charles S. Potter Jr., Chris Dorsey, Alex Mifflin, Tyler Mifflin, Wendy MacKeigan

Director(s): Benjamin Flaherty Producer(s): Carra Greenberg, Scott Paskoff, Harris Fishman, Benjamin Flaherty

Journey back to when mammoths, camels and sabertoothed cats roamed the ancient shores of Lake Bonneville and witness its transformation into Great Salt Lake, caused by one of the largest floods in history!

Be immersed in a rare ecosystem where unusual creatures thrive in waters five times saltier than the ocean. Yet, the source of the Lake is freshwater!

Through the lens of his own recovery, a filmmaker offers a character-driven look inside the billion dollar addiction treatment industry where young people are bought and sold for their insurance policies and ushered into a system designed to keep them sick.

What begins as an investigation of a street-level scam, explodes to uncover systemic conflicts-of-interest and collusion at the highest levels of government.

SS

V

SX EX

SS

1:30:00

SNOWLAND

STRONGER THAN THE WAVE

Director(s): Jill Orschel Producer(s): Joanne Feinberg, Jill Orschel, J.R. Hardman

Director(s): Robbie McKane Producer(s): James Clark, Kumi Aizawa

A former child bride from a notorious polygamous sect in Utah escapes her painful past by creating a magical fantasy realm she calls Snowland. Within this artistic endeavor, which spans decades, is a metaphorical journey of lost innocence, survival and self-discovery.

A journey of rebirth and resilience through Japan’s wild north, surveying the landscape and inhabitants of the Michinoku Coastal Trail.

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1:31:07

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1:44:00

SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY Director(s): Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui Producer(s): Lizzie Gillett, Robert Ford, Ian Bonhôte The story of Christopher Reeve is an astonishing rise from unknown actor to iconic movie star, and his definitive portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman set the benchmark for the superhero cinematic universes that dominate cinema today. Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

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THIS IS PIKE COUNTY Director(s): Laura Paglin Producer(s): Laura Paglin, Thomas Lennon Mounting pressures – including an unsolved family murder – test a close-knit rural community. Between the temptation to give up and the urge to hold on, the film lingers on what it means to come of age in a place left behind. “Haunting, quietly searing, hard to forget.” – Arlie Hochschild, Author, Strangers in Their Own Land

1:42:00

VOICES: THE DANNY GANS STORY Director(s): Andrew Davies Gans Producer(s): Andrew Davies Gans, Clare Tucker “Voices: The Danny Gans Story” is a poignant and personal exploration of a son’s journey to understand his father. Andrew Gans, son of the renowned Las Vegas entertainer, Danny Gans, embarks on an intimate exploration of his father’s inspiring, improbable life and the circumstances surrounding his untimely passing.

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AS I WITNESS

BLUE BLOODED TAXIDERMY

Director(s): Pamela Andrea Martinez Barrera Producer(s): Pamela Andrea Martinez Barrera

Director(s): Hunter Wyatt Goring Retired police-officer uses his unique art form of taxidermy to help himself overcome trauma inflicted from being in law enforcement.

The act of writing collapses the past and the present into the dissonant experience of witnessing the colonization of the body.

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0:10:58

CONGRESS, THE

DISTILLED

Director(s): Eko Krisna Producer(s): Gabriel Diamond, Phil Collis, Matthew Beighley, Chris Metzler

Director(s): Christopher Larson Producer(s): Christopher Larson

Indonesian activist, Rukka Sombolinggi believes the key to confronting the climate crisis is to unite and mobilize the Indigenous communities who are often impacted the most. Now, as the first female general secretary of the world’s largest Indigenous Peoples organization, she has the power to do just that. But the challenge is monumental.

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0:23:36

Distilled is a documentary following Asmir Hadzibeganovic, a Bosnian war refugee, who is now an entrepreneur living in Berlin. As Asmir works to realize his dream of opening his own distillery in a ruined historic cellar under the old Wine Street Berlin, he makes the decision to face his own buried past and travel back to his hometown in Bosnia for the first time since he was forced to flee.

V Violence

FF Family Friendly

SX Themes of sexuality

0:13:13

0:20:17

EARTH MOTHER

FALLOUT & FLOWERS

Director(s): Nati Levinger Producer(s): Nati Levinger

Director(s): Megan Newbold Producer(s): McKenna Murphy, Megan Newbold

Avital, a mother of five, moves with her young children to live in a converted truck on South Mt. Hebron in order to establish a legal, but totally isolated, community farm. But the physical and emotional hardship make her question whether she and her children can continue to pay the price for her dream.

On July 16, 1945, the United States dropped the first nuclear bomb on U.S. soil. Almost 80 years later, the people in Southern Utah are still feeling the effects of nuclear testing. Follow a filmmaker as she explores her family history and the connection between the people and the land that led to their deaths.

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0:12:00

GODDESS

I WANTED TO HEAR YOUR VOICE

Director(s): Dean Cropp Producer(s): Dean Cropp

Director(s): James Pellerito Producer(s): David Barba

Goddess is an enchanting short that takes you on a poetic journey beneath the waves. Through the voice of a diver, this cinematic love letter celebrates the breathtaking beauty of underwater life, inviting you to connect deeply with the ocean’s wonders.

Prepare to be mesmerised by this celebration of nature’s majesty and humanity’s bond with the sea.

After eight years of caring for his mother with severe dementia, a son struggles through their daily care routine.

Recorded voicemails serve to show the progression of the disease, underscoring the frustration, isolation and burnout that comes with intensive caregiving.

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IN COLD BLOOD

LEGEND HAS IT: THE REMARKABLE RISE OF STEPHEN MCCAIN

Director(s): Alex Heitler Producer(s): Victor De Le Rue “IN COLD BLOOD” is an intimate mountain film told through the inner voice of a rider torn between fear and obsession. As he moves between high-stakes competitions and raw backcountry adventures, we witness a search for balance between adrenaline and family, ambition and peace. No interviews, no showboating—just one man’s honest dialogue with the mountains. A visual and emotional journey into what truly drives us. In the end, it’s not about the best ride—it’s about feeling fully alive.

Director(s): Hisonni Mustafa Producer(s): Hisonni Mustafa, Stephen McCain, Ernest Brown, Devian Carlton From childhood dreams to Olympic triumphs, Legend Has It: The Remarkable Rise of Stephen McCain unveils the resilience, sacrifice, and heart of an athlete whose pursuit of greatness redefined what it means to be a legend.

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MASAI MARA

MONSTER SLAYER

Director(s): Andrea Bufi

Director(s): Catie Skipp Producer(s): Grace Oathout

In the heart of the Masai Mara, amid the smiles of children, Masai dances, and the wild breath of the savannah, an intense and authentic visual story unfolds. A journey in which tradition, nature, and humanity merge under the African sun. A cinematic tribute to the primordial beauty of Kenya.

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After Monty is assaulted at the strip club where she works, she weaponizes public art to exact justice against a system’s refusal to act.

V Violence

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0:21:00

0:12:11

0:09:46

MY FRIEND LAIRD

OH YEAH

Director(s): Joseph C.H. Rigdon Producer(s): Joseph C.H. Rigdon, Ben Vasion

Director(s): Nick Canfield Producer(s): Nick Canfield, Justin Levy

Laird, a simple man turned rancher, operates a farm in Northern Nevada that comes with its “benefits”.

The story of the iconic electronic music group Yello and their classic 1980’s hit song. Oh Yeah is one of the most recognizable songs of all time, made famous by Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and embodies 80’s American culture more than any other song. While not well known in the United States, the Swiss duo that founded Yello have been making avant-garde music and videos for over 45 years. This short documentary explores the cultural phenomenon of Oh Yeah and its enduring place in the American psyche, while introducing the unique artists behind the music.

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0:30:00

OPEN VEINS OF POTOSÍ, THE

RANGER OF THE NORTH

Director(s): Samuel George

Director(s): Bradley Bethel Producer(s): Ned Phillips

For centuries, the natural riches of Cerro Rico in Potosí, Bolivia, fueled empires—colonial forces extracted immense quantities of silver while countless indigenous miners lost their lives in the mine shafts and rubble.

While Europe prospered, Potosí was left behind to face poverty and environmental ruin. Today, the cycle threatens to repeat itself. Beneath the Potosí’s vast salt flats lie some of the planet’s largest lithium reserves— critical to the global green energy transition. This short documentary confronts a haunting question: is Potosí once again at the center of a resource boom that will enrich the world, but leave its people behind?

Inspired by his favorite novel, The Lord of the Rings, a retiring park ranger journeys into the Alaskan wilderness to search for hope in the face of climate change.

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REMNANTS

SHEEPDOGS

Director(s): Michael Catenacci Producer(s): Matt Pirrall, Nick Reid, Lana Link, Rob Pfaltzgraff

Director(s): Hunter Wyatt Goring Producer(s): Anna Stump, Brian Knappmiller

When a devastating wildfire ravages their land, a sixthgeneration 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.

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Two eusocial species, humans and bees, survive amidst pollution and climate change. Backyard beekeeper Alex Wonder tends a hive at Rose Park community garden, minutes away from two oil refineries and a waste treatment plant. Alex and bumblebee scientist LauraArneson Horn emphasize the importance of biodiversity as opposed to the message to “save the bees.”

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SPIRIT OF THE DRIFTLESS: PRESERVING OUR LEGACY

Director(s): Emery Willis Producer(s): Austin Smock

SS Sensitive subject matter for some viewers

In the remote military town of 29 Palms, artist Ted Meyer helps wounded veterans and active-duty service members turn their physical scars into powerful works of art—unearthing the emotional trauma beneath, and telling the stories their bodies can’t forget. This short documentary follows four individuals: an active-duty Marine instructor still coping with an injury sustained early in his career; an active-duty Marine who recently suffered a potentially career-ending injury; a retired Marine sergeant whose battle with cancer may be linked to her military service; and a retired Navy special ops officer—now a transgender woman—grappling with trauma after being ambushed and shot multiple times.

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Director(s): Jonas Stenstrom Producer(s): Timothy Steven Jacobson, Rob Nelson, George Howe Spirit of the Driftless is a short documentary that transports viewers on a serene yet powerful journey through the rugged landscapes, hidden underworlds, ancient archaeology, rare habitats, and vibrant wildlife of the unglaciated Driftless Region. for the first time since he was forced to flee.

V Violence

FF Family Friendly

SX Themes of sexuality

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0:08:30

0:34:14

TWIN GIMMICK

WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS

Director(s): Loren Zoltan Producer(s): Loren Zoltan

Director(s): Diego Riley, Will Buckley Producer(s): Diego Riley, Will Buckley

Twin brothers, with the same name, go on a road trip to their childhood home as they unpack their rocky relationship.

A lost eden drowned under Lake Powell re-emerges, revealing the follies of the past and a new way forward for the Colorado River. What The River Knows is an advocacy short-doc that explores this unique inflection point in a centuries-long history: at the same time that we are met with the need to redesign our systems of water management in the west, we are presented with the opportunity to restore one of the most stunning landscapes on the planet.

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WHITE NINE

XXY-47

Director(s): Nilou Safinya Producer(s): Nilou Safinya, Bill Martin

Director(s): Adam Dov Horovitz Producer(s): Adam Dov Horovitz

After three teen boys suffered devastating spinal cord injuries in the 1960s, they formed a profound bond and dedicated their lives to leading the independent living movement in Massachusetts. White Nine follows the story of these three survivalists turned activists and their fight for their civil rights.

At puberty Adam was diagnosed with a chromosomal abnormality, XXY-47. A number of surgeries later, and with the knowledge that he may never be able to father biological children, Adam uses his own illustrations and medical records in this animated documentary to try and come to terms with his disorder.

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UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY PRESENTS

I N T E R N AT I O N A L F I L M F E S T I VA L THE

CHANGE WORLD

FEBRUARY 26- 28, 2026 | MegaPlex theatres on SUNSET

DOCUTAH.COM DOC Talks Feb 26 & 27 | 9:00 AM Zions Bank Room Holland Centennial Commons Library Utah Tech University Free Admission Coffee and donuts will be served

DOCTalks panels include Emmy and Festival award-winning filmmakers with experience producing for major networks including HBO, Netflix, Hulu, PBS, National Geographic, and more!

DOCUTAH

AWARDS CEREMONY Saturday, February 28 | 8:00 PM Megaplex Theatres on Sunset Theater 5 Free Admission docutah.com

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EXCEPTIONAL, FLAWLESS, UNFORGETTABLE

TEL.:435-634-7100 WWW.INNATENTRADA.COM/EN 2588 W SINAGUA TRAIL, ST. GEORGE, UT 84770 30

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T H E U TA H T E C H U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N

along with Co-Chairs Alma & Melissa Jeppson and Brandon & Becky Staples present

Join us for the 22nd Annual Fire & Ice Scholarship Gala an unforgettable evening supporting students through the “ Marcia Wade and Dorothy Orton Pay It Forward Scholarship”

M. Anthony Burns Arena at Utah Tech University

Net Proceeds Support Need-Based Scholarships

Scan the QR Code or visit utahtech.edu/fireandice

for tickets, event information, and student highlights docutah.com

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THE

CHANGE world FEBRUARY 26-28, 2026 | MEGAPLEX THEATRES ON SUNSET

D O C U T A H . C O M