LOGAN – Film auteur T.C. Christensen is scheduled to make in-person appearances in Logan while the Utah Theatre is presenting a parade of his movies during the month of November.
Although his films have broad appeal, Christensen is best-known for his movies celebrating the people and history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Each of the full-length features shown at the Utah Theatre this month will be preceded by a short film also created by Christensen.
“He’s made wonderful movies,” according to Gary Griffin, the managing director of the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, which operates the Utah Theatre.
Griffin explains that the ongoing month-long Latter-day Saint film fest is Christensen’s first opportunity to have all his movies played in a festival format showcasing solely his works. Movie-goers will have the chance to see Raising the Bar, the Alma Richards Story; Escape from Germany; Gordon B. Hinckley, a Giant Among Men; The Fighting Preacher; The Cokeville Miracle; Love, Kennedy; 17 Miracles and Ephraim’s Rescue, plus the short films.
“He’s very touched by us doing this for him,” Griffin said.
The first of Christensen’s in-person guest appearances is slated for Nov. 6, when he will share the theater stage with Terry Montague, the author of the book upon which Escape from Germany is based.
On Nov. 15, Christensen will appear with Jennie Sorensen Johnson, a survivor of the Cokeville bombing.
Later in the month, Christensen will appear with Travis Eberhard, the star of 17 Miracles, on Nov. 21.
Born in 1953, Christensen was raised in Layton with nine siblings. After an LDS mission to Ohio and West Virginia, he studied filmmaking at Brigham Young University.
Christensen married his wife, Katy, in 1980. They have two children, Tanner and Tess, both of whom have worked with Christensen on his films. His cousin Ron Tanner has also collaborated on those films.
Since 1973, Christensen has been involved to the production of nearly 80 films as either director, director of photography or cinematographer.
Most of Christensen’s feature-length LDS films have had limited big-screen releases, Griffin adds, so most people have only seen them on television from DVD’s. The Christensen film fest will be a unique opportunity to see them on a full-size theater screen.
All movies start at 7 p.m. in the Utah Theatre. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for children ages 8 years and younger and available at the door or online at www.theutahtheatre.org
Tickets for youth groups of any size are $4 each. For large group reservations, contact Griffin directly at 435-770-5741.
The Utah Theatre is located at 18 West Center Street in downtown Logan.