After a year of enduring shuttered theaters, delayed release dates and countless wasted hours scrolling through obscure streaming titles, audiences in Park City are finally being welcomed back to theaters. Park City Film will be hosing in-person screenings at the Jim Santy auditorium beginning on April 16 with a slate of Oscar-nominated films for audiences to enjoy on the big screen. Though Utah’s mask mandate is expiring on April 10, Park City Film is implementing COVID-safe restrictions and limited capacity to ensure audience safety as they reopen.
The 446 seat Jim Santy Auditorium will be filled to just 14% capacity for initial screenings. The 65 available tickets for each show must be purchased online in advance, and clusters of two, three and four seats are available to ensure adequate distancing. There will also be a mask requirement for all patrons and employees unless seated and actively eating or drinking concessions. Park City Film safely held a series of private screenings over the past couple months, and organizers are confident in the ability to do so with public audiences thanks in part to a stunningly high COVID-19 vaccination rate in Summit County.
Audiences around the country have shown an appetite to return to the movie theater, and an exciting lineup from Park City Film will definitely incentivize getting off the couch to catch a flick. Things kick off with screenings of “Minari” from April 16-18. The story of a Korean-American family searching for the promise of the American dream in Arkansas is nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor—Steven Yeun is the first Asian-American actor to receive the nomination—and Best Supporting Actress.
The Oscar contender screenings continue with “Judas and the Black Messiah” from April 23-25. The film about the betrayal of Black Panther Party Illinois Chairman Fred Hampton is also nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture and dual Best Supporting Actor nominations for its leads Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya.
The April screenings close out with “The Father” from April 30 through May 2. “The Father” has earned praise for its realistic and faithful portrayal of dementia. It, too, has earned six Academy Award nominations, including for Best Picture, Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins) and Best Supporting Actress (Olivia Colman).
All screenings will be at the Jim Santy Auditorium, located in the Park City Library. Tickets can be purchased online on the Park City Film website. Even though we can once again munch popcorn with fellow moviegoers, Park City Film plans to continue its extensive Virtual Cinema programming, which has been well received and is a great way to experience wonderful independent film from the comfort of home. A full listing of future screenings can be viewed here. The movies are back! We couldn’t be happier. We’ll see you in the theater.
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