Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd’s ‘Power Ballad’ and Danielle Brooks’ Film Highlight Utah’s Desertscape Film Festival

EXCLUSIVE: While the Sundance Film Festival has moved out of Utah, the Desertscape International Film Festival remains firmly rooted in the state. Set to open and close with notable films, the festival will feature If I Go Will They Miss Me, starring Danielle Brooks, and Lionsgate’s upcoming project Power Ballad with Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas.

Now in its eighth year, the festival, organized by the Film and Media Alliance of Southern Utah (FMASU), will take place from April 1 to April 4. Screenings and events are set to occur at the Electric Theater in downtown St. George, Utah.

Attendees can look forward to a lineup of 50 feature and short films. The festival’s opener, If I Go Will They Miss Me, directed by Walter Thompson-Hernandez, explores a young boy’s quest to connect with his estranged father while growing up in Los Angeles’s Watts neighborhood. The film was recently acquired by Rich Spirit in a deal valued at nearly $1 million, which includes U.S. rights and select international territories, with a theatrical release slated for this fall.

Closing the festival is Power Ballad, directed by John Carney, which made its North American premiere at SXSW. The film tells the story of Rick (Paul Rudd), a washed-up wedding singer who forms a bond with a faded boy-band star, Danny (Nick Jonas). As they collaborate on a late-night jam session, Danny transforms one of Rick’s songs into a hit that revives Rick’s career and prompts him to reclaim his past recognition.

The lineup also includes the SXSW-premiering survival documentary The Ascent, which chronicles a bilateral amputee’s challenging attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Additionally, festival-goers can expect the world premiere of The Strawberry, a drama from the Plummer Brothers that features M*A*S*H actor Mike Farrell.

Character actor Doug Jones, known for his role in The Shape of Water, will attend the festival in support of two world premieres: The Strawberry and the short film Pretty Boys. Desertscape will also host an array of workshops and panels, including an independent film finance workshop led by Stephen Mastrocola from Buffalo 8.

“Desertscape is back, and we’re celebrating its momentous 8th year with a lineup that promises to be the strongest yet,” said John Pugh, FMASU Vice President and Desertscape 2026 Festival Director. “We carefully curated a selection of films, engaging workshops, and enlightening filmmaker panels to make year eight an unforgettable experience for film enthusiasts.”