GET EARLY ACCESS TO SPECIAL GUEST PRESENTATIONS! FESTIVAL PASSES ARE ON SALE NOW!
Recommended for Ages: All Ages
Limited quantities are available.
The creators behind the beloved Napoleon Dynamite will share with audiences how they started making movies together as friends and continue to make movies together! Audiences will get to ask the filmmakers questions and get a sneak peek on upcoming projects and films they are making.
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Jerusha Hess
Writer and director Jerusha Hess graduated in film from Brigham Young University. As a student there she wrote her first screenplay for the hit film “Napoleon Dynamite” with her husband Jared. She was also the film’s costume designer. She later went on to co-write the scripts for other offbeat comedies: “Nacho Libre”, “Gentlemen Broncos”, and “Don Verdean”. She was the co-creator and executive producer of “Napoleon Dynamite” the animated series. And in 2013, her directorial debut, “Austenland” (starring Keri Russell and Bret McKenzie) premiered at Sundance. Her latest movie, “Thelma the Unicorn”, is an animated feature which will be released on Netflix in 2024. She lives in SLC with her husband and four children.
Jeremy Coon
In 2004, Jeremy Coon produced and edited a film that would win fans of all generations: NAPOLEON DYNAMITE. NAPOLEON premiered in Dramatic Competition at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, where it was acquired by Fox Searchlight Pictures and released the following summer; it became one of the most profitable and culturally impactful indie films in history.
Jeremy has a knack for producing hilarious and crowd-pleasing films. His comedy THE SASQUATCH GANG won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival, while HUMBLE PIE earned Best Film accolades from BendFilm and Audience Award for Best Feature from the Sidewalk Film Festival in 2008. In 2015, THUNDER BROKE THE HEAVENS became his third feature film to take home an Audience Award for Narrative Feature at the Dallas International Film Festival.
Jeremy helped launch MovieClips.com (one of Time Magazine’s Top 50 Websites of 2010 and rebranded as ZEFR in 2014) and co-executive produced the animated television series NAPOLEON DYNAMITE with Jared and Jerusha Hess for 20th Century Fox Television airing after THE SIMPSONS in primetime.
Most recently, Jeremy is taking the helm on another exciting project: directing, producing and editing the feature documentary A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE centered around the infamous STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL and set to make its world premiere at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival.
Jeremy earned an undergraduate degree in Media Arts as well as an MBA from Brigham Young University and currently serves on the board of the Utah Film Center.
For sponsorship opportunities, please contact ISAAC FAIRLEY AT Utah Film Center.
Tumbleweeds is a program of Utah Film Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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50 W Broadway #1125
Salt Lake City, Utah
Whether you love to watch films, want to explore the hands on activities at the Clubhouse, or do both, a day pass is your access to the Festival!
Each day pass includes the following perks: In-person films on a first come, first served basis
Each member of your group needs a pass to access Tumbleweeds. Workshops require additional registration and fee.
Choose a Saturday day pass, a Sunday day pass, or both!
Yes! Keep me updated on announcements for pass sales, ticket availability, film schedule, and workshop sales for 2024 Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids, April 19-20.