SALT LAKE CITY — Sundance may be leaving Utah but Utah is not getting out of the movie business.
There is an independent film festival this weekend that features several local artists.
It’s all happening at the Rose Wagner theater starting Friday, the Utah Queer Film Festival.
For more than two decades, the Utah Film Center has featured films by and about LGBTQ artists.
And an increasing number of those artists are homegrown.
So if you enjoy, independent films, Salt Lake is the place to be this weekend.
The Utah Queer Film Festival will screen 40 shorts and 6 feature films beginning Friday, and festival programming director Cat Palmer says many of the artists are local.
“Utah is full of talent, and we’re excited to celebrate that talent!”
Jack Hessler, Writer and Director of short film “The Redbook” agrees.
“You know, we’re calling it Salt Lake City-Wood. It’s the next Hollywood!”
Many are young artists like Hessler.
He moved to Utah nearly a decade ago as an aspiring filmmaker and also someone just coming out of the closet.
“And so really, when I moved to Salt Lake, I was starting to become a part of a whole new community and really accept myself and grow into myself, and it was just incredible.”
“To just find like minds and kindred spirits.“
That’s Russell Roots, who runs the Utah film center.
His team just moved into a brand new building and this is their first festival since then.
“Particularly with Sundance leaving, you have an opportunity to still connect with the community and find fellow filmmakers and fellow creatives to be around.”
“This is all about new beginnings, a fresh start. Being able to have an Utah queer film festival here means a lot!”
Cat Palmer says all are welcome.
“It feels tough out there right now, but there is community and we are here to love on them and just know that there is a place here for them.”
And if you’re interested, there’s a way you can attend this festival for free. Go to utahqff.org and enter the code UQFF-CAT
