"Sophie and the Rising Sun," a gentle-hearted, beautiful film about an improbable love affair and a small town's bigotry against the backdrop of war, served as a poignant Salt Lake City opening to the annual Sundance Film Festival.
Director Maggie Greenwald and the cast, led by Julianne Nicholson and Margo Martindale, were greeted with enthusiastic applause Friday night at the annual Salt Lake Gala screening in the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. "The themes of the film resonate very strongly with what is going on today," said Greenwald, who also wrote the screen adaptation, in the press line before the screening.
The film's themes are "prescient," said Sundance programmer Hussain Currimbhoy, who underscored the story's beautiful cinematography and "cast to die for."
Continuing his annual tradition, Gov. Gary Herbert welcomed ticketholders, a quieter affair than last year's, which featured Robert Redford on the red carpet, promoting his role in "A Walk in the Woods." This year, Herbert labeled Redford "as a great Utahn" while also praising the actor's artistic and entrepreneurial vision. Herbert recalled growing up in the shadow of Timp Haven, which Redford transformed into Sundance, the resort that shares its name with the foundation that produces the indie film festival, now in its 38th year.
Art shouldn't always be reduced to its monetary value, the governor said, before running down the festival's estimated $78 million annual contribution to the Utah economy. Sundance attracts about 270,000 attendees, who pay $32.5 million in state and local tax revenues.
Utah would be looking forward to the festival's continuing evolution over the next 38 years, the governor said to a theater packed with a gala's worth of state legislators, powerbrokers and political leaders, including Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. "I bought my own ticket," emphasized Rep. Patrice Arent, D-Millcreek, as she introduced a handful of legislative colleagues, including Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, seated nearby.
The film stars Nicholson, a six-time Sundance visitor, as Sophie, a quirky single woman and artist in a small town that's dedicated to its segregationist culture. As Hitler's troops advance across Europe, Sophie's friend Anne, the town's matriarch, played by Martindale, is charged with caring for an mysterious injured man, a "foreigner" who is pushed out of a bus.
Against the backdrop of the shocking news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the two women and Anne's tough-minded housekeeper, played by Lorraine Toussaint, find out the mysterious Mr. Ohta, played by Takashi Yamaguchi, isn't Chinese, but Japanese. He's also a skilled gardener and painter, "a real gentleman," who small-town Southerners simply won't believe is California born.
Greenwald also underscored the power of female storytellers, in a year when questions of diversity and equity imbalances in Hollywood have made headlines.
Scores of female filmmakers have the experience and collective energy to challenge the status quo, she said, and are showing that audiences will turn out to see stories featuring women. "I hope my film proves that," Greenwald said, adding that the cast spotlights four female actors over the age of 40 "and a gorgeous Asian man."
Yamaguchi's embodiment of his gentle, sincere character serves as an underpinning for the quietly spun movie. On the press line before the movie, the Kyoto-born actor making his English-language debut recounted his own Sundance storyline, in that he received an audition for the role just six days after he had received his U.S. visa.
ellenf@sltrib.com
facebook.com/ellen.weist
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Lorraine Toussaint arrives for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Julianne Nicholson, Diane Ladd and Lorraine Toussaint arrive for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Margo Martindale, Diane Ladd, Julianne Nicholson and Lorraine Toussaint arrive for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Takashi Yamaguchi, Margo Martindale, Diane Ladd, Julianne Nicholson, Lorraine Toussaint, writer-director Maggie Greenwald and Joel Murray arrive for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Diane Ladd greets Jeanette and Gov. Gary Herbert with Lorraine Toussaint for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Julianne Nicholson arrives for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Margo Martindale, Diane Ladd, Julianne Nicholson, Lorraine Toussaint and writer-director Maggie Greenwald arrive for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Diane Ladd on the red carpet for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Takashi Yamaguchi, Margo Martindale, Diane Ladd, Julianne Nicholson, Lorraine Toussaint and writer-director Maggie Greenwald arrive for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Diane Ladd, Julianne Nicholson and Lorraine Toussaint arrive for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Takashi Yamaguchi and Margo Martindale laugh with Diane Ladd and Julianne Nicholson after arriving for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Joel Murray arrives for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Julianne Nicholson poses for pictures on the red carpet for the premiere screening of “Sophie and the Rising Sun” during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Joel Murray and Lorraine Toussaint arrive for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Julianne Nicholson arrives for the premiere screening of ÒSophie and the Rising SunÓ during the Sundance Film Festival at Rose Wagner Theatre in Salt Lake City, January 22, 2016.
Director Maggie Greenwald poses for a portrait to promote the series, "Sophie and the Rising Sun", at the Toyota Mirai Music Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Actress Julianne Nicholson poses for a portrait to promote the series, "Sophie and the Rising Sun", at the Toyota Mirai Music Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Actress Julianne Nicholson poses for a portrait to promote the series, "Sophie and the Rising Sun", at the Toyota Mirai Music Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Actor Takashi Yamaguchi poses for a portrait to promote the series, "Sophie and the Rising Sun", at the Toyota Mirai Music Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Actress Margo Martindale poses for a portrait to promote the series, "Sophie and the Rising Sun", at the Toyota Mirai Music Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Actress Lorraine Toussaint poses for a portrait to promote the series, "Sophie and the Rising Sun", at the Toyota Mirai Music Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
From back left, actors Takashi Yamaguchi, Lorraine Toussaint, Margo Martindale, director Maggie Greenwald and actress Julianne Nicholson pose for a portrait to promote the series, "Sophie and the Rising Sun", at the Toyota Mirai Music Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Actress Lorraine Toussaint poses for a portrait to promote the series, "Sophie and the Rising Sun", at the Toyota Mirai Music Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible