Sundance Institute Outdoor Film Festival Presents Free Weekly Screenings

This summer the Sundance Outdoor Film Festival presents some of the most memorable work to come out of the Sundance Film Festival in recent years. The free weekly outdoor screening series runs July 6 – August 22 in Salt Lake City, Park City, and at Sundance Village. Films begin at dusk (between 8:30 – 9:00 p.m.).

The complete Sundance Institute Outdoor Film Festival schedule follows.

Salt Lake City Venue: Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main St.
Park City Venue: City Park at 1354 Park Avenue (In inclement weather, Park City screenings will be held in the Jim Santy Auditorium in the Park City Library at 1255 Park Avenue).

Following are descriptions of each of the films presented during the run of the Outdoor Film Festival.

NAPOLEON DYNAMITE – PG
With a tight red 'fro, some sweet moon boots, and illegal government ninja moves, Napoleon Dynamite from Preston, Idaho is a new kind of hero. Napoleon spends his days drawing magical beasts, working on his computer hacking skills to impress the chicks, and begrudgingly feeding his grandma's pet llama, "Tina." When his friend Pedro decides to run for class president, they must rely on their knowledge of cows, piñatas, and a surprise special talent if they are to defeat the stuck-up Summer Wheatley.

DON’T MISS the Napoleon Dynamite look-alike contests before the Park city and Salt Lake screenings! Arrive at 8:15 to register for the contest – dress up as your favorite character from the film to be eligible for the grand prize of two tickets to Opening Night in Park City for the 2006 Film Festival!

THE MALDONADO MIRACLE – PG
With half the population closing up shop and moving away, the remaining citizens of San Ramos are giving up hope on their small dusty town. But when his devout parishioner Josephina shrieks "Milagro, milagro!" upon witnessing what she believes to be a miracle inside the church, the town becomes a magnet for religious pilgrims, fanatics, and the infirm, not to mention media and money interests. An auspicious directing debut for actress Salma Hayek. FILMED IN UTAH.

EDGE OF AMERICA – PG13
Mr. William is a new face on the Three Nations Reservation. Not only is the new English teacher is not from around there, he is black. Thus the uphill battle to gain acceptance in the tight-knit community begins – that is until he begrudgingly agrees to coach the girls high-school basketball team. The team has a lot to learn to break out of its infamous losing streak, but the ultimate question is, who will be teaching whom? Veteran director Chris Eyre ventures into the heartland and returns with a tale that tugs at your heartstrings with this film that was shot in Utah.

SEDUCING DR. LEWIS – PG-13
St. Marie-La-Mauderne is a tiny village in what some may call the middle of nowhere. Locals spend their time remembering when the catch was good, the fishermen were proud, and life seemed a lot more magical. The situation seems hopeless until a young doctor in Montreal has an incident with a cop and finds himself on a boat to the faraway village. How to make him stay? The answer lies in just a bit of subterfuge…along with something called Festival de Beef Stroganoff.

MISS AMERICA – Not rated
Brimming with celebrity interviews and amazing archival footage, Miss America delves deep into the history and evolution of this iconic beauty pageant. Since its inception in 1921, the Miss America pageant has stood at the center of American popular culture. This film tells the story of the nations oldest beauty pageant while exploring what it means to be an American woman.

GOODBYE, LENIN! – R (for language)
Good Bye, Lenin! may be the first comedy to capture the human dimension in the tumultuous dying days of the German Democratic Republic. It follows a young man trying to shield his fervently Communist mother from shocking news of German reunification when she wakes from a coma. The film honors the human side of socialist ideology but also pokes fun at the GDR, by turning its rhetoric into nostalgic icons.

WHALE RIDER – PG
Niki Caro's wonderfully inspired feature, Whale Rider, is a lush and radiant tale about a Maori community's struggle to overcome its own limitations and the coming of age of one exceptional little girl. An extraordinarily beautiful film filled with sweeping landscapes, whales, and breathtaking performances, Whale Rider is an emotionally powerful story of love, rejection, bravery, and destiny

The Sundance Institute Outdoor Film Festival is part of the Institute’s Arts and Audiences Utah initiative and is presented with the generous support of the following:

• Salt Lake City screenings are supported by the Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts and Parks Program, Utah Film Commission, and Wells Fargo Foundation.

• Park City screenings are presented by Frontier Bank, with additional support from Park City Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, Park Record, and Summit County Recreation, Arts and Parks Program.

• Sponsors of the Arts & Audiences Utah Initiative are: ABC4, City Weekly, Clear Channel Broadcasting, Express Shuttle, Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City Marriott, City Center, Thrifty Car Rental, and Utah Arts Council.