Involvement in the Miller production was made possible through the increased travel/tourism budget pushed and approved by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and overseen by Leigh von der Esch, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism.

Aside from the 400-plus showings around the country, the movie is picked up and shown in countries around the world. It's shown over and over in restaurants and bars, DVDs are made of this movie, and it will be shown years down the road on cable and satellite stations.

Last year, more than 250,000 people in the United States viewed the Miller movie, and more than 400,000 people worldwide.

"And remember," said Rafferty, "these people are skiers. These are people looking to get charged up for the coming ski season. They come to the movie in their new ski jackets and start hooting and hollering when they see some of the incredible skiing ... and it seemed especially loud when the Utah segment came on screen."

Another benefit to being involved in the program, he added, is that footage shot in Utah is given to Ski Utah to be used in TV ads and to be used on its Web site.

All of which, no doubt, helped contribute to Utah's record ski season for 2006-07.

This year's movie is the 57th made under the Warren Miller banner.

Along with the Utah segment, there will be shots of backcountry snowboarding, the indoor ski center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, along with resort locations in Colorado, Alaska, California, British Columbia, Sweden, Japan and Switzerland.

Shows are Wednesday in Orem at the SCERA Center at 8 p.m.; Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City on Thursday at 6 and 9 p.m.; at the George S. and Delores Eccles Center in Park City on Friday at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.; and Peery's Egyptian Theatre in Ogden on Saturday at 3, 6 and 9 p.m.

Tickets are available at REI, Park's Sportsman in Orem and theater box offices, and at ArtTix outlets — 801-355-ARTS or 1-888-451-ARTS. For Park City tickets call 435-655-3114 or go online at www.ecclescenter.org. For Ogden call 801-395-3227 or buy at Peery's Egyptian Theatre. And for Orem tickets visit the SCERA Center box office or call 801-225-ARTS. For more information visit www.warrenmiller.com.

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E-mail: grass@desnews.com