Burying The Past: Legacy of The Mountain Meadows Massacre
Encyclopedia
Burying the Past: Legacy of the Mountain Meadows Massacre is a 2004 documentary film
about the Mountain Meadows massacre
. It was directed by Brian Patrick and has won 11 awards, but the producers where unable to obtain theatrical release
for the film.
bound for California
were killed by Mormon
s in Utah
. The event is described through the testimony of Nancy Sephrona, who was 4 years old at the time, and was one of the 17 known survivors. The film chronicles the struggle of the massacre descendants from both sides who are still haunted by the tragedy.
LDS historian Glen Leonard is interviewed on camera, and makes statements as to the LDS Church's involvement in the massacre and the cover up. At the time, Leonard was working on the book Massacre at Mountain Meadows
with historians Richard E. Turley, Jr.
and Ronald W. Walker
, which was published by Oxford University Press
in 2008.
The building of the monuments at the massacre site, as well as a dedication and speech by Gordon B. Hinckley
, LDS Church President, can be seen in the documentary. The film also contains footage of forensic analysis of human remains found at the site during construction of the 1999 Monument.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the Mountain Meadows massacre
Mountain Meadows massacre
The Mountain Meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the Baker–Fancher emigrant wagon train, at Mountain Meadows in southern Utah. The attacks culminated on September 11, 1857 in the mass slaughter of the emigrant party by the Iron County district of the Utah Territorial Militia and some local...
. It was directed by Brian Patrick and has won 11 awards, but the producers where unable to obtain theatrical release
Film distribution
The distribution of a film is the process through which a movie is made available to watch for an audience by a film distributor...
for the film.
Synopsis
On September 11, 1857, 120 immigrants aboard a wagon trainWagon train
A wagon train is a group of wagons traveling together. In the American West, individuals traveling across the plains in covered wagons banded together for mutual assistance, as is reflected in numerous films and television programs about the region, such as Audie Murphy's Tumbleweed and Ward Bond...
bound for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
were killed by Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
s in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. The event is described through the testimony of Nancy Sephrona, who was 4 years old at the time, and was one of the 17 known survivors. The film chronicles the struggle of the massacre descendants from both sides who are still haunted by the tragedy.
LDS historian Glen Leonard is interviewed on camera, and makes statements as to the LDS Church's involvement in the massacre and the cover up. At the time, Leonard was working on the book Massacre at Mountain Meadows
Massacre at Mountain Meadows
Massacre at Mountain Meadows is a book by Latter-day Saint historian Richard E. Turley, Jr. and two Brigham Young University professors of history, Ronald W. Walker and Glen M. Leonard. Leonard was also the director of the Museum of Church History and Art in Salt Lake City, Utah...
with historians Richard E. Turley, Jr.
Richard E. Turley, Jr.
Richard Eyring "Rick" Turley, Jr. is an American historian and genealogist, and the Assistant Church Historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Biography:...
and Ronald W. Walker
Ronald W. Walker
Ronald Warren Walker is a historian of the Latter Day Saint movement who was formerly a professor at Brigham Young University and president of the Mormon History Association.-Biography:...
, which was published by Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
in 2008.
The building of the monuments at the massacre site, as well as a dedication and speech by Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
, LDS Church President, can be seen in the documentary. The film also contains footage of forensic analysis of human remains found at the site during construction of the 1999 Monument.
Honors and awards
- "$5,000 Crystal Heart Award" (Heartland Film FestivalHeartland Film FestivalThe Heartland Film Festival is a film festival held each October in Indianapolis, Indiana. First held in 1992, its goal is to "recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life."In May 2007, Heartland...
) - "Broadcast Education Association King Foundation Award Winner" (Best of Festival)
- "Broadcast Education Association Best Documentary"
- "Best of State Award Utah 2004"
- "Accolade Award of Excellence" for Documentary Feature (Accolade CompetitionAccolade CompetitionThe Accolade Competition is an international, non-traditional, virtual awards venue. Awards go to those filmmakers who produce fresh, standout entertainment, animation and compelling documentaries....
) - "Accolade Award of Excellence" for Voiceover (Accolade CompetitionAccolade CompetitionThe Accolade Competition is an international, non-traditional, virtual awards venue. Awards go to those filmmakers who produce fresh, standout entertainment, animation and compelling documentaries....
)
- "Best of Festival Award" (Berkeley Film Festival)
- "Chris Award" (Columbus International Film & Video FestivalColumbus International Film & Video FestivalThe Columbus International Film + Video Festival is a Columbus, Ohio, USA annual film festival which is designed to encourage and promote the use of film and video in all forms of education and communication...
) - "Best Musical Score" (Park City Film Music Festival)
- "Best Digital Feature" (Stony Brook Film FestivalStony Brook Film FestivalThe Stony Brook Film Festival, produced by Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University, presents a program of new, independent films every summer since 1996. Features and short films from the U.S. and around the world are screened over ten days at Staller Center, which has been the venue...
, New York) - "Spur Awards" (Western Writer's Association)
Official selection
- "Best of State Competition"
- "Broadcast Education Association"
- "Accolade Competition"
- "Berkeley Film Festival"
- "Columbus International Film & Video FestivalColumbus International Film & Video FestivalThe Columbus International Film + Video Festival is a Columbus, Ohio, USA annual film festival which is designed to encourage and promote the use of film and video in all forms of education and communication...
" - "Park City Film Music Festival"
- "Park City Film Series"
- "Denver International Film Festival"
- "Arizona International Film Festival"
- "Santa Fe Film FestivalSanta Fe Film FestivalThe Santa Fe Film Festival is a Non-Profit Organization which presents important world cinema in a non-commercial context that represents aesthetic, critical and entertainment standards highlighting New Mexican film, new American and foreign film including revivals, retrospectives, independent...
" - "Breckenridge Film Festival"
- "Bare Bones International Film FestivalBare Bones International Film FestivalThe Bare Bones International Film Festival was founded in 1999 by the Darkwood Film Arts Institute in the city of Muskogee, Oklahoma to showcase low-budget independent movies...
" - "Sedona International Film Festival"
- "Athens International Film Festival"
- "Bend Film Festival"
- "SpudFestSpudFestThe SpudFest Family Film and Music Festival was an annual film festival which was established in Driggs, Idaho, U.S.A. in the summer of 2004. Dawn Wells, the original Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island founded the festival as a natural outgrowth of the Idaho Film and Television Institute and Film...
" - "Idaho International Film Festival"
- "Heartland Film FestivalHeartland Film FestivalThe Heartland Film Festival is a film festival held each October in Indianapolis, Indiana. First held in 1992, its goal is to "recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life."In May 2007, Heartland...
" - "ARPA International Film Festival, Hollywood"
- "SMMASH Film Festival"
- "Ozark Foothills Film Festival"
Further reading
- "Duo set date for 'Dawn' massacre" by David McNary, VarietyVariety (magazine)Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, 23 January 2007