A mechanical behemoth, dragon and a great white shark will return to the big screen next week. Brad Bird’s 1999 animated gem, “The Iron Giant,” Dean DeBlois’ 2025 live action “How to Train Your Dragon” and Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic thriller, “Jaws,” are part of Park City Film’s Winter Break Film Series that runs Monday and Tuesday and Jan. 2 at the Park City Library’s Jim Santy Auditorium. All screenings, which are presented in partnership with Park City Library, will begin at 4 p.m., and admission and popcorn are free, said Park City Film Executive Director Katharine Wang. “The schedule is intentional because, between the time the ski resorts close and dinner, there’s not much going on,” she said. “So, people can come watch a film after they have skied and before they go get something to eat.” Although the screenings are free, people can register to ensure seats, Wang said. “We do have a very large theater, so there is plenty of room to bring your friends, family and guests,” she said. “So you can also just show up.” “The Iron Giant,” rated PG, runs 85 minutes and is based on the book “The Iron Man” by English poet and writer Ted Hughes, Wang said. “This, at the time, was Brad Bird’s directorial debut, and he went on to do ‘The Incredibles,’” she said. “It’s hand-drawn animation that totally holds up without the CGI and effects we have now. So, it’s a nod to the beauty and craft of animation and storytelling.” The film is a nostalgic film for Wang, in the sense that it’s set in the 1950s, before the launch of Sputnik and at the height of American paranoia regarding the potential of nuclear war, according to Wang. “Basically, this Iron Giant appears out of nowhere, and everyone thinks it was sent by either the Russians, the Chinese or space aliens,” she said. “It takes place in a moment of time that‘s hard for us who grew up in the ’70s to remember just how isolated we were as a country in many ways.” Back then there was a lot of fear, Wang said. “There was the fear of the unknown and fear of the outside and the Cuban Missile Crisis was right on the horizon,” she said. “This movie is kind of an interesting portrayal of what happens when you fear the unknown.” The relationship between the giant, who is hiding from federal agents, and a young boy named Hogarth Hughes shows there is nothing to fear, Wang said. “It’s about how humans relate to each other and how we can overcome our fear of differences and find things that connect you with other things, in this case, other beings,” she said.  Hiccup, played by Mason Thames, takes a ride on Toothless during a scene from Dean DeBlois’ 2025 live action take on “How to Train Your Dragon,” which will screen Tuesday as part of Park City Film’s free Winter Break Film Series. Credit: Photo courtesy of Park City Film “How to Train Your Dragon,” which is also based on a book — written by British author Cressida Cowell — follows a similar theme of the fear of differences found in “The Iron Giant,” Wang said. “It’s about a boy named Hiccup who befriends a fire-breathing dragon named Toothless,” she said. “And it’s about the warring communities — fire-breathing dragons and humans — who come together to create a different reality.” While Park City Film has screened some of the animated versions from the “How to Train Your Dragon” series, this film is the live-action remake of the first film, according to Wang. “It’s been fun to see these films evolve over time,” she said. “Jaws” is the last film of the Winter Break Series and follows a theme of humans versus nature that is found in “How to Train Your Dragon” but with different results, Wang said with a laugh. It follows three men — police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), ichthyologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and Captain Quint (Robert Shaw) — who hunts the great white shark that has terrorized the tourists and residents of Amity Island, a small sea-port destination in New England, she said. “Amity Island is a stand-in for Martha’s Vineyard, and I actually have swam off its pier, where they see great whites all the time,” she said. One of the reasons Wang wanted to screen “Jaws” is because the film is celebrating its 50th anniversary. “I remember when ‘Jaws’ came out, because I’m old,” she said with another laugh. “And I remember how terrified I was of even swimming in swimming pools. I’m not sure modern children can understand the fear that ‘Jaws’ inspired in our generation of children. This is a fun celebration of this iconic film and cult classic.” Amity Island Police Chief Martin Brody, played by the late Academy Award-nominated Roy Scheider, tries to get a bead on the great white shark that is terrorizing local waters in Steven Spielberg’s iconic 1975 thriller, “Jaws.” Park City Film will screen the movie for free on Jan. 2 as part of its Winter Break Film Series at the Park City Library’s Jim Santy Auditorium. Credit: Photo courtesy of Park City Film. The film spawned three sequels — “Jaws 2,” “Jaws 3-D” and “Jaws: The Revenge,” said Wang, who went to high school with the son of Peter Benchley, the author of the book. “The spin-offs have been ridiculous, but it’s fun going back to the classic,” Wang said. “It’s a little goofy, and the filming is older, but it definitely holds up.” When looking for films for the Winter Break Series, Wang wanted to find smart films that would appeal to different ages. “A bulk of our screenings at Park City Film is for more mature audiences, so when we have space in our programming, we make sure we bring in films that appeal to younger film lovers,” she said. “It behooves us to cultivate younger film lovers because we want them to continue to engage with independent film when they grow up.” Still, these films Wang selected aren’t exclusively for young cinefiles. “The films also need to appeal to adults and caregivers because film is a communal experience,” she said. “It brings people, who otherwise have no connection, together in an audience experience.” Winter Break Film Series When: 4 p.m., Dec. 29-20 and Jan. 2 Where: Park City Library’s Jim Santy Auditorium, 1255 Park Ave. Cost: Free Web: parkcityfilm.org The post Winter Break Film Series creates a storytelling community appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less