Mormon Cinema At Six: A Progress Report Although Mormons have been a topic for films as early as 1905, and LDS filmmakers have been telling quintessential Mormon stories since the 1930s, Richard Dutcher’s films God’s Army (2000) and Brigham City (2001) mark what some consider to be the birth of “Mormon Cinema”, feature-length films with LDS subject matter, produced by Latter-day Saints independently of the Church, and released theatrically. More than twenty films have emerged since then, some produced to have crossover appeal (e.g., The Other Side of Heaven and Dutcher’s films, including his newest, States of Grace), others unabashedly insular, relying on Mormon in-humor and banking on LDS religiosity (e.g., The Singles Ward, The R.M., Day of Defense). Where do things stand at Mormon Cinema’s six-year mark? What can be done to ensure its future flourishing?

Eric Samuelsen, John-Charles Duffy, Dean C. Hale, Richard Dutcher, Halestorm Entertainment representative, snf Kevin J. Foxe