Eyes With Pride (2025)

Eyes With Pride documents a powerful journey into the heart of one of America’s most passionate and disciplined musical traditions: the Marching Arts and its primary medium, high school marching bands. The film traces the somewhat obscure legacy of a call-and-response chant born in 1977 at the University of Massachusetts, under legendary band director George Parks — a rallying cry designed to check the vital positioning of a student's feet, stomach, elbows, shoulders, chest, chin, and finally, eyes. What began as a spark at UMASS ignited a flame that now burns brightly in programs across the United States. Nowhere is that fire more fiercely alive than in American Fork, Utah, where the powerhouse American Fork High School Marching Band channels decades of tradition into a single, unrelenting goal: reaching the Finals round at Bands of America’s Grand National Championships in Indianapolis, for the first time since 1995. After a heartbreaking near-miss in 2022 — finishing just one spot short of the coveted Top 12 Finalists — the American Fork Marching Band sets its sights on redemption. Spanning two intense seasons of competition, Eyes With Pride captures the raw emotion, tireless work, and unbreakable spirit of the students, staff, and community in pursuit of an elusive and lofty ambition. Filmed in Utah, Indiana, and Massachusetts, and featuring a narrative derived entirely from interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, this documentary is not just about the marching arts — it’s about perseverance, tradition, and the transformative power of young people striving for greatness. ========================= This film premiered on May 19, 2025, at the American Fork High School auditorium. Produced and directed by Matt Judkins; written by David Rodeback. Mr. Judkins' website: https://sfzfilms.com Mr Rodeback's website: https://60eastpress.com ========================= Photography by Merle Stevens ========================= Special thanks to Music For All for providing filming access at Lucas Oil Stadium. Music For All website: https://musicforall.org Special thanks to Tom Merrill with Bob Rogers Travel for securing Mr. Judkins' limited video pass at Lucas Oil Stadium. ========================= News articles and publications: https://www.heraldextra.com/news/loca... https://www.heraldextra.com/afcitizen... https://afcitizen.com/2025/05/15/marc... https://afcitizen.com/2025/06/23/opin... -- The American Fork High School Band program consists of over 300 students in grades 9-12 and is led by Director of Bands, Orien Landis. The Marching Band has been the Utah State Marching Band Champions for the past 26 years. The Concert and Jazz Bands have received consistent Superior ratings at local and regional festivals for the past 25 years.