PARK CITY, UT — Sundance Institute Film Series presents a free screening of Samson & Delilah, the engrossing, award-winning film directed by first-time feature filmmaker Warwick Thornton. A project supported by Sundance Institute Native American and Indigenous Program and its international work with indigenous directors, screenwriters and producers, Samson & Delilah will screen for the first time in Utah on Thursday, May 6 at 7 p.m. at the Park City Library, 1255 Park Ave.
The screening of Samson & Delilah is made possible by support from Principal Sponsor Zions Bank, Major Sponsors Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts and Parks and Summit County Recreation, Arts, and Parks Program, with in-kind support from City Weekly, KRCL 90.9 FM Community Radio, Park City Film Series and Park City Marriott.
Set in a remote Aboriginal community in the Central Australian desert, Samson & Delilah is the painfully brutal love story of two teens who leave their isolated community and embark on a journey of survival. The film has been described as one of the most beautiful to come out of Australia, and deals with the harsh realities of contemporary Aboriginal life — substance abuse, poverty, violence, and cultural stereotypes. After screening at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, Samson & Delilah won the Caméra d’Or for best debut feature, receiving the accolade of “the best love film we’ve seen for many a year” from the Cannes jury.
Filmmaker Warwick Thornton first began the film as a story designed for the kids of Central Australia drawn from his own personal experiences and observations growing up on the street. In addition to Cannes, Samson & Delilah has screened at the Toronto, Zurich, and Telluride Film Festivals. Previously, Thornton wrote and directed several short films, most recently the 2008 Berlinale prize-winning Nana. His previous short film, Green Bush, premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. He is currently working on shooting and directing a three-hour documentary series with Aboriginal art curator Hetti Perkins and producer Bridget Ikin, called Art and Soul.
An image of Sampson & Delilah can be found on http://press.sundance.org/press
Sundance Institute invites you to step inside the world of independent filmmaking each month with the Sundance Institute Film Series. Part screening, part discussion, we’ll showcase work supported by Sundance Institute and give you an opportunity to meet the filmmakers and discuss the films. This summer, the Film Series will have both indoor and outdoor screenings in both Park City and Salt Lake. Stay tuned for the full lineup.
Our next screening will be:
Unzipped
Thursday, June 3
Tower Theatre, Salt Lake City, 7:00 p.m.
Directed by Douglas Keeve
Official Selection, 1995 Sundance Film Festival
Winner of the Documentary Audience Award, Unzipped is part performance, part cinema vérité, and all delight as we follow world-famous fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi as he creates his 1994 New York fall fashion show. The world of high fashion has rarely been depicted in such intimate detail, complete with all the excitement and anxiety, exhilaration and terror that accompany any major artistic event.
Featuring many of the world’s top models, including Kate Moss, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Christy Turlington, Unzipped is a treat that fulfills the promise of its title to entertain, provoke, and unveil.
About Sundance Institute
Founded by Robert Redford in 1981, Sundance Institute is a not-for-profit organization that fosters the development of original storytelling in film and theatre, and presents the annual Sundance Film Festival. Internationally recognized for its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, film composers, playwrights and theatre artists, Sundance Institute has nurtured such projects as Angels in America, Spring Awakening, HOWL, Trouble the Water, Boys Don’t Cry and Sin Nombre.
