When she was 13 years old, Dekker made it a mission to defy authority and follow her dream of executing a solo trip around the world. After fighting government authorities, she was granted her wish and set off on a voyage via sailboat — a journey that lasted two years.
Dekker’s two-year circumnavigation fostered a coming-of-age story any rebellious teenager can identify with. Understanding her tale would mesmerize many, Dekker teamed up with film director Jillian Schlesinger before leaving.
From continent to continent, Dekker filmed her exchanges with different cultures, endeavors through stormy water and moments of self-reflection. Using shots from her Sony Handycam and scenes from Schlesinger’s own filming, the two created the movie “Maidentrip.”
Considering Utah isn’t placed next to the sea, “Maidentrip” seems somewhat incapable of enticing the state’s audience. However, marketing director Josh Levey, from the Utah Film Center, believes it fits in with the Salt Lake City niche of showing sports movies.
“We are looking for films that resonate with Utah. We are a very athletic sports culture here,” Levey said. “But, [we also look for] films that fulfill our mission of being social driven and interest driven.”
As part of the Utah Film Center’s Living Unbound film series, “Maidentrip” will be shown at the Downtown Salt Lake City Library tomorrow at 7 p.m.
The Living Unbound sequence of screenings combines the power of storytelling with the intensity of sports. The last film displayed was “Rising from the Ashes,” a movie depicting the drive of Rwanda’s first national cycling team. Determined to cycle, the group geared up to ride decades-old bikes and trained to compete as legitimate athletes.
After considering past film selections, it is easy to comprehend the Utah Film Center’s choice to showcase “Maidentrip.” Like the Rwandan bikers from “Rising from the Ashes,” Dekker had an unstoppable drive to break sports conformities. While the athletes did it by riding old-fashioned machines, Dekker did it by defying the stereotypes of her age.
Aiming to show the power of passion, Levey supports the installment of “Maidentrip” to Living Unbound.
“It’s a great film if you enjoy the passion of sports and following your dreams,” Levey said.
Like “Maidentrip” and “Rising from the Ashes,” the Utah Film Center is always looking to break movie-going boundaries. When showing films, they often hold Q&As with the director, creating an interactive experience for the viewers.
Along with after-film discussions, the Utah Film Center offers extra perks. When showing “Rising from the Ashes,” the center teamed up with the Bicycle Collective for a group ride before the screening.
“There are a number of factors that make the Utah Film Center cool. They curate the films very well, and then they accompany them with a community experience that you’re not going to get if you go to a regular theater or stream something on Netflix,” said David Davis, executive director from the Bicycle Collective.
Following tradition, the Utah Film Center is standing out from conventional theaters by screening “Maidentrip” two months before it will hit big cities such as Los Angeles and New York City.