GUNNISON, Utah — A packed house at the historic Casino Star Theatre got an early look last month at a new feature film about Utah Valley University's first NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and his journey from adversity to athletic greatness.
The special screening of "STANDOUT: The Ben Kjar Story" drew wrestlers and football players from across Sanpete County, local families, and community members who filled every seat to support a story that centers on resilience, confidence, and embracing what makes you different.
The film follows Kjar’s childhood growing up with Crouzon syndrome, a rare craniofacial condition that shaped his earliest experiences and presented challenges he had to confront long before he stepped onto a wrestling mat.
“How do you teach confidence to someone who looks different?” his mother asks in the film’s opening scenes, setting the stage for a story that moves from fear and self-doubt to what Kjar now calls his “superpower” — standing out.
“It’s so humbling and it’s so rewarding,” Kjar told FOX 13 News during the Oct. 28 screening. “When you put yourself out there, vulnerability with the best intention, people show up because they see themselves in you.”
Kjar went on to become UVU’s first-ever All-American and later represented the United States on the international wrestling stage. His message to young athletes remains centered on mindset and identity.
“I shatter the unbelief,” he said. “I shatter the negative mentality… and I go down the path of abundant mentality, which is being a victor.”
The movie is directed by Utah filmmaker Tanner Christensen, who grew up just blocks away from Kjar in Davis County. The two have known each other since childhood, and Christensen says the idea of putting Kjar’s story on screen has been with him for years.
“That kid needs to be a movie," Christensen said his father, TC, also a well-known filmmaker, used to say, "and now he is.
“It’s been a wild 3½ years, and we are so excited to be at this stage.”
Each audience reaction, Christensen said, makes the long process worth it.
“Every time I see an audience respond to a film I’ve put my blood, sweat, and tears into, it means the world to me.”
For young wrestlers like Kagen Coates, meeting Kjar and watching his story unfold on the big screen was unforgettable.
“I had him sign my hat… it was cool,” Coates said with a grin.
Inside and outside the theater, Kjar stopped for photos, offered autographs, and spent time speaking with athletes one-on-one. Parents said the personal interaction meant as much as the movie itself.
“It means so much to our community,” said attendee Amie Tucker. “We appreciate you. Thank you for coming.”
"STANDOUT: The Ben Kjar Story" opens in theaters across the country in January. For Gunnison’s athletes and families, though, the first sneak peek came early, and for so many it was a night they won’t soon forget.
