Alum shows film

An award-winning film by an IU graduate was recently mentioned in Grammy magazine and on the 2006 Grammy ballot. The film will be shown at 7 p.m. in Ballantine 109.\nIU graduate Chris Sautter directed and produced the documentary titled, "So Glad I Made It: The Saga of Roger Salloom, America's Best Unknown Songwriter."\nThe screening is free and open to the public. \nSautter, who never studied film at IU, said the film follows the life of former IU student Roger Salloom struggling to make it in the music business after giving up on it for 20 years. \n"It's the story of a guy that was expected to make it, should have made it, had all the talent to make it, but didn't," Sautter said. "It addresses the question why some people make it in this world and others don't. And it often doesn't have anything to do with talent."\nSalloom, who attended IU in the mid-60s but did not graduate, played in his band Salloom, Sinclair and the Mother Bear at that time. Eventually, the Bloomington band drifted to San Francisco and played with the likes of Santana, Van Morrison and BB King, according to a bio on his Web site. \nSautter said that although the Grammy's have come and gone it was nice to be considered.\nThe film was on the Grammy ballot in nine categories in 2006 including "Best Music Film" and "Best Soundtrack for a Motion Picture." Salloom said last week Grammy magazine listed it as one of the top 15 films to see.\nThe National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, known as The Grammy Awards, has screened the film in New York City, Nashville, Tenn. and other major U.S. cities. \n"The film really seems to be taking on a life of its own," Salloom said. "It's like the little film that could."\nSalloom said Bloomington is where he first started to really get his music going. \n"A lot of my soul came alive in Bloomington," he said. "It's where I came alive as an artist."\nMost of the film was shot in 2002 in Salloom's hometown of North Hampton, Mass. A few scenes from the movie were also filmed in Bloomington. Flashbacks through photographs and interviews reveal Salloom's days at IU. \nSautter added that the film is not a commercial success but one he made about something he cared about. \n"I'm making films about things that are important to me," he said. "I'm operating it from my gut -- not what I think is some kind of commercial formula."\nAfter the screening, Sautter will hold a question and answer session and Salloom will be performing an acoustic concert.\nSalloom has continued his singing and songwriting for a substantial part of his life.\n"I'm writing and singing better than I ever did," he said. "I have no idea why that is happening."\nSalloom has been hailed as the next Bob Dylan, according to Sautter's Web site. According to a review from Worcester magazine on Salloom's Web site, it's the "kind of film you don't forget." Rolling Stone Magazine called the music "incredibly infectious," on Salloom's Web site as well.\nSautter said he is very interested in showing the film at IU and loves coming back to Bloomington.\n"There are people still in Bloomington that were in Bloomington when he performed in the late '60s that were fans and friends of his," Sautter said. "We're just hoping that those people and other people get a chance to see it." \nFor more information on the film and other Sautter films please visit www.sautterfilms.com \nor www.rogersalloom.com.