LOGAN – For the first time ever, the Utah Theatre in downtown Logan will present a collection of films created by cinematographer Thomas C. Christensen during the month of November.
The film director and writer is best known for films relating to the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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.
The Utah Theatre will begin its retrospective of Christensen films on Saturday, Nov. 1 with the short film Touch of the Master’s Hand, followed by the feature Raising the Bar: The Alma Richards Story.
The feature film is a documentary about the first Utahn to win a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games.
The double header will be repeated on Monday, Nov. 3, when a matinee will be screened; also at 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, 4 and 5.
Next up, the Utah Theatre will offer the Christensen short The John Tanner Story, plus the feature film Escape from Germany.
The short film is a documentary about an early benefactor of the LDS Church, while Escape from Germany is a historical drama about LDS missionaries trapped in Nazi Germany at the outbreak of World War II.
That double-header will be screened on Thursday, Nov. 6 through Saturday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.
Starting on Monday, Nov. 10 through Wednesday, Nov. 12, the Utah Theatre will present the short film Only A Stonecutter, followed by the feature Gordon B. Hinckley: A Giant Among Men.
Only a Stonecutter recalls the life of John Rowe Moyle, who helped to build the Salt Lake Temple. The feature film focuses on the early life of the former president of the LDS Church.
The Christensen film festival will continue with the short film A Pioneer Miracle and the feature The Fighting Preacher.
The short film tells the story of an angelic visitation, while the feature drama highlights the trials of boxer Willard Bean who literally battled to preserve a 25-year mission service in Palmyra, N.Y.
Those films will be screened at the Utah Theatre on Thursday, Nov. 13 through Saturday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.
On Monday, Nov. 17 and Tuesday, Nov. 18, the theater will present the short film The Pump and the feature The Cokeville Miracle.
The feature film is based on the 1986 Cokeville Elementary School hostage crisis in Arizona.
On Wednesday, Nov. 19, the feature film to be screened at the Utah Theatre will switch to Love, Kennedy, a touching drama about a Utah teen facing a terminal illness.
That film will be shown through Thursday, Nov. 20.
The short film The Mouths of Babes will be screened on Friday, Nov. 21 through Monday, Nov. 24, along with the feature film 17 Miracles.
The feature tells the story the Willie Handcart Company of pioneers attempting to reach Utah in 1856.
Finally, the Christensen retrospective will close out with the short film The Bridge and the feature film Ephraim’s Rescue.
Based on true events, Ephraim’s Rescue is another historical adventure based on the handcart company of pioneers.
That film will be screened by the Utah Theatre at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 25 and Friday, Nov. 28.
The Utah Theatre is located at 18 West Center Street in downtown Logan.