Salt Lake Film Society

Salt Lake Film Society keeps an extensive archive of photographs, including past events and venue pictures.  We particularly welcome submissions by our members and the community of any historic venue photos you may have of the old Broadway Theater or the Tower. 

In addition to a photo archive Salt Lake Film Society keeps an in-house library of films, movie one-sheets (posters), trailers and other historic materials such as calendars that date back to the early century when the Tower was first operating.

Check back often to see if there is new information or access to these archives.

In the late eighties an infamous Vanilla Ice concert took place at the Tower Theatre. Previous owners thought the concert would be a great way to raise funds, but the concert got out of hand and the Tower sustained a lot of damage from the concert that later was repaired by our founders Paul Liacopoulos and Kris Liacopoulos.

Salt Lake Film Society was proud to bring Dustin Lance Black to Salt Lake for in-depth community interaction surrounding his topical film MILK, based on the life of Harvey Milk.  Mr. Black offered insights into the filmmaking process as well as some anecdotal tales of production and a touching re-telling of his childhood experiences growing up gay in Utah.  In a newly formed partnership with the SLC Film Center this evening's events and surrounding radio interviews with Mr. Black made an outstanding program.

Sundance Institute began a little project to nurture the art houses of our nation and Salt Lake Film Society was honored to be among the first theaters to participate.  In celebration of the Institute's 25th anniversary, each Art House Project participant was given a chance to help Sundance celebrate.  Since Salt Lake City is home to the Sundance Film Festival, we chose to pull out a celebration that would be fitting to honor the anniversary and held a celebration dinner in honor of Sundance with guest of honors; Mayor Corroon of Salt Lake County and actor Stanley Tucci, panel discussions with Institute staff members and film directors, and special repertory screenings of past Institute films.  We can't wait for the next 25 years!

In February of 2008, Salt Lake Film Society rented the four plex RedCliffs Cinemas from the locally owned and operated Westates Theater Company to bring a full slate of independent films to the community as a pilot program.   In August of 2008, Salt Lake Film Society scaled back the ambitious plan to offer a full slate of programming to bring select international films to the community whenever programming fits throughout the year.

Salt Lake Film Society also travels programs to Moab, Ut.

Salt Lake Film Society, as a part of the Sundance Institute's Art House Project joined with fellow leaders of arthouses to help for the Art House Convergence.  The Convergence started with a small group of about 20 Art House Leaders and has now grown.  Each year, the Convergence conference has taken place a few days prior to the Sundance Film Festival in downtown Salt Lake City.  Salt Lake Film Society staffer Amy Beth Leber has been an important part of the operations planning for each conference.  For information on how to attend the 2010 Art House Convergence follow the link.

The new cult sensation REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA came to the Tower in January 2008 with director Terrance Zdudnich and SLFS

Every year our Utah Screenwriters Project participants get an opportunity to attend our Pitch Smart Pitch Mart.  In a round-table style pitching session set-up much like a speed dating event, the writers rotate in 10 minute segments from one local producers group to the next.  Not only does this give the local producers an opportunity to hear all the pitches of stories from the USP group, but it also allows the writers to get practice in pitching and narrow down what works and what people want to hear about their script. 

If you are a local producer and interested in participating in the Pitch Mart, please contact Jim in our office.  We are sorry, but at this time the Pitch Mart is not an open event to writers who are not part of the USP program.

Joan Tewkesbury has been so generous as to give time to Salt Lake Film Society's Utah Screenwriter's Project.  Her character development workshop helps writers through their tough spots and assists them in learning how to dig into the depths of who their stories are about and why.  We extend great thanks to Joan for visiting us!

Salt Lake Film Society in collaboration with the SLC Film Center co-presented the 2009 Damn These Heels LGBT Film Festival, to be followed by the LGBT Film Series. 

Special Guests included filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer who made the delightful documentary film VALENTINO: THE LAST EMPEROR and director Kirby Dick, who's OUTRAGE was the talk of the town.

For more about the 2009 festival visit our Damn These Heels: LGBT Film page.