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"Gleason"

U.S. Documentary Competition

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An emotional, honest and inspiring look at life, love and parenthood, the documentary "Gleason" is about a lot more than a man and his disease. Steve Gleason became a hero in New Orleans in 2006 when, as a linebacker for the New Orleans Saints, he blocked a punt that led to the first Saints touchdown in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. In 2011, three years after retirement, Gleason was diagnosed with ALS, the neurological disorder that slowly robs its victims of control over their bodies — and usually kills them within five years. Six weeks after the diagnosis, Gleason's wife, Michel Varisco, learned she was pregnant with their first child. The movie is partly taken from video journals Gleason made for his child, imparting life lessons for that time when he's no longer around. Director-editor Clay Tweel ("Finders Keepers") has sculpted a mountain of footage into a beautiful, clear-eyed look at Gleason's life dealing with ALS, launching a charity, and trying to be a good parent and husband. The blend of heartache and the Gleason family's good humor is perfectly balanced.

— Sean P. Means

"Gleason" screens again at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival: Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Peery's Egyptian Theatre, Ogden; Friday, 8:30 a.m., Prospector Square Theatre, Park City; Friday, 6:15 p.m., the Grand Theatre, Salt Lake City; Saturday, noon, Library Center Theatre, Park City.