Inside the Mission of Utah Film Center: A Conversation with Mariah Mellus

The Utah Film Center is an organization dedicated to supporting and promoting independent filmmaking and cinematic experiences throughout the community. Under the leadership of Executive Director Mariah Mellus, the center plays a crucial role in supporting the state’s filmmaking success through film festivals, educational programs and community outreach. Mellus’ vision and guidance have led the organization to where it is now and where it is headed.

“I’ve seen it from the ground up.”

Mellus has been with the Utah Film Center for over 18 years. Before stepping into the Executive Director role she worked in marketing and outreach, development and education programming for the organization. “Over the course of 18 years, I had a lot of different jobs, which I think makes me more qualified for this job than most, just because I’ve seen it from the ground up,” she says.

Now, Mellus oversees strategic initiatives and event planning and keeps up with the changing film ecosystem in Utah, playing a key role in organizing events while ensuring smooth operations. Additionally, she is focused on strategic planning to adapt to changing distribution models and maintain the nonprofit’s relevance in the evolving film industry.

“[We’re] trying to give people an opportunity to meet with other artists and collaborate on things.”

Mellus and the film center as a whole focus on creating connections within the film community through various events. Mellus says that the organization is “trying to give people an opportunity to meet with other artists and collaborate on things.”

In early February, the Utah Film Center hosted “Science on Screen,” a program that combines engaging films with expert-led discussions. Attendees watched an ‘80s film about robotics and then had the opportunity to meet a man who built a robot. Mellus shared that events such as “Science on Screen” foster collaboration and a sense of belonging among participants.

Additionally, the organization offers a fiscal sponsorship program that allows filmmakers to apply for grants through a 501(c)(3) organization. This helps artists in storytelling and filmmaking through media education, artist support and film exhibitions.

Currently, the program has 133 films receiving donations and over 200 in production, with a total of more than 500 films having benefited from the sponsorship since its creation. The majority of the films are homegrown stories by local Utah filmmakers.

As Utah celebrates 100 years of filmmaking in the Beehive State, Mellus shared her hopes for the future, not just for the Utah Film Center, but for filmmaking across the state as a whole. She hopes that the center will soon have programming up to six times a week. Currently, it has two to three weekly meetings.

As for Utah filmmaking, Mellus wants to see it step into the spotlight along with major filmmaking states. She said that the state is an amazing place to create films, thanks to its diverse backdrops and versatility. Artists can shoot something in the desert in the afternoon and be in the mountains that night. She believes there’s something special about that.

“I want people to feel like they can make their film from start to finish here.”

“I want [Utah] to own its legacy of 100 years of filmmaking here and not be known as the place that people come and make films and then go back to Hollywood and distribute them or sell them,” Mellus says. “I want people to feel like they can make their film from start to finish here. We always say we want to export our art, not our artists.”

To learn more about the Utah Film Center in their new beautiful location, visit utahfilmcenter.org. There, visitors can find the center’s newsletters and explore its programs.

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