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RadioWest Films on PBS Utah
Hosted by Doug Fabrizio
RadioWest Films on PBS Utah curates stories told through cinematic short films. A collaboration between KUER and PBS Utah, RadioWest Films on PBS Utah is a compilation of intimate tales that deepen our understanding of the West and the people who call it home, curated by RadioWest’s Filmmaker in Residence, Dane Christensen.
The team behind RadioWest has always believed that their most valuable asset is the ability to tell stories. Yes, they produced a radio program, but the team wanted to create films as a way of expanding that storytelling strength to another medium, to reach and meet new people along the way. RadioWest Films makes space for local filmmakers to produce and share a variety of short films and documentaries. It’s an opportunity to create stories in another format and tell them in different ways and give the conversations they conduct on the radio another life — a visual life.
“As visual storytellers ourselves, PBS Utah has long admired the great work being done at RadioWest Films. We are excited to bring these thoughtful and thought-provoking films to our audience, especially those who may not have otherwise found them,” said James Davie, PBS Utah Station Manager.
We are excited to bring these thoughtful and thought-provoking films to our audience, especially those who may not have otherwise found them.
James Davie, PBS Utah Station Manager
The first episode, RadioWest Films on PBS Utah: A Changing Landscape, features three short documentaries highlighting different experiences and voices of people who are all coping with a changing landscape in Utah.
It isn’t easy for women in rural Utah to get reproductive healthcare — a reality that Danielle Pendergrass grew up with. Today, she runs a clinic in Price, Utah, that provides healthcare to women from hundreds of miles around. But in the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, Danielle now must navigate how to serve rural women while contending with new legal barriers.
Water levels in Great Salt Lake have shrunk to record lows. The biologist Bonnie Baxter says we’re seeing an ecosystem collapse before our eyes — as microbialites are beached, brine flies and shrimp die off, and birds migrate elsewhere. Toxic dust released from the dry lakebed endangers people, too. Meanwhile Bonnie studies the lake and tracks its decline.
Viet Pham immigrated to the US as a child. He thought food would help him fit in — the more Big Macs he ate, the more American he would become. Later, when Viet became an award-winning chef, he turned to his roots to perfect his latest recipe and find himself.
Stream Now | A Changing Landscape
"The RadioWest Films program is one of KUER's hidden gems," said Cristy Meiners, KUER station manager. "The stories these short films tell are compelling and often surprising, and we are thrilled to be able to share them with the wonderful viewers of PBS Utah. We hope you enjoy watching them!"