First $500,000 rebate from Utah film commission goes to Hopkins flick- Incentive program part of pilot to draw filmmakers to Utah

Director Roger Donaldson loved shooting his movie on the Bonneville Salt Flats. "It’s an amazingly visual location," he said in a promotional brochure for the film "The World’s Fastest Indian." The movie stars Anthony Hopkins.

"It’s dead flat, it’s white, everything gets reflections. . ." Donaldson said. "It has fabulous mountains in the distance that give it a sense of depth." Well, that’s what you get when you film in Utah, Mr. Donaldson. That and $500,000.

"The World’s Fastest Indian" is the first film to garner the maximum rebate under Utah’s new incentive program to encourage television and film producers to set up their cameras here. The Utah Film Commission celebrated "The World’s Fastest Indian" with a special preview at the Broadway Theater Tuesday.

Gov. Jon Huntsman was one of those who walked down a red carpet into the theater. He was there, he said, for the motorcycles and for Hopkins and because this movie speaks well of the state’s ability to attract world-class filmmakers.

Huntsman said he has been out on four or five film shoots in the last few months, talking to producers about why they should make their next film in Utah.

By Susan Whitney
Deseret Morning News

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