Paul Wuthrich as Alma Richards in a scene from “Raising the Bar,” a new film about a Utah boy who set an Olympic high jump record in 1912. Watch our interview with the film’s director in the video above. | Courtesy photo

IDAHO FALLS – A new film premiering in eastern Idaho next week tells the true story of a track and field star from Utah who set an Olympic high jump record in 1912.

“Raising the Bar: The Story of Alma Richards” premiered in Utah on Thursday and will be released in local theaters on May 2.

T.C. Christensen is the filmmaker behind the project. He’s the director of titles like “Escape from Germany,” “The Fighting Preacher,” and “The Cokeville Miracle.”

In a conversation with EastIdahoNews.com, Christensen explains the appeal and significance of this story and the reason he wanted to bring it to the screen.

“There wasn’t another person out here in the West to win a gold medal in the Olympics for 88 years after him,” Christensen says. “This was really a spectacular moment.”

Richards didn’t know anything about the sport until shortly before he arrived at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. He was in high school at the time and acquired his athletic ability jumping over fences chasing jackrabbits in his hometown of Parowan, a small town in southwestern Utah.

Like many high school students, Christensen says Richards wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life and this set him on an unexpected career path that left a lasting mark on sports history.

“He went to high school one day and they had a new coach. The coach said, ‘Hey, you’re big’ — he was a big kid — ‘Why don’t you come out for track?’ Alma didn’t even know what he was talking about … but he went out and two years later found himself on the greatest athletic stage in the world,” Christensen says.

This aspect of Richards’ story is what Christensen says gives the film universal appeal.

It’s also a story Christensen is personally invested in. He grew up hearing stories about Richards from his grandmother, who lived with him and his siblings as kids. His grandmother is Richards’ sister, which means the protagonist in the film is Christensen’s great uncle.

Although Christensen is related to the film’s subject, he says making this film wasn’t about nepotism or personal attention. It was the story, first and foremost, that was appealing to him.

The obstacles his great uncle had to overcome were seemingly insurmountable, he says, and “so outlandish … audiences are going to think I made them up.”

“That’s what makes for a good story,” says Christensen. “At the end of the film, there’s a bit of a twist. You’ll think his purpose in life is ‘X’ … and it’s not. He finds an even higher purpose in life.”

“Raising the Bar” has been in the works for the last four years. Christensen began the initial production in 2020 and experienced some delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Paul Wuthrich, who had the leading role in “Escape from Germany” — Christensen’s most recent film — plays the part of Richards. Wuthrich could not be reached for comment, but Christensen explains why he cast him in this role.

“This was a hard part to cast because the guy playing Alma not only needs to be a good actor, but also needs to be athletic and be able to fit into our parameters (for a low budget film),” Christensen explains. “This is now the fourth film I’ve done with Paul and he’s just terrific.”

Christensen is making a trip to eastern Idaho next week for the film’s premiere. He’ll be speaking at Brigham Young University-Idaho and interacting with movie-goers for a Q&A in Rexburg and Idaho Falls.

Christensen is excited for audiences to see the film. It will premiere at Paramount 5 in Rexburg, Paramount Theater in Idaho Falls and at the Blackfoot Movie Mill.

WATCH OUR INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTENSEN IN THE VIDEO ABOVE.