Burying the Past

Burying the Past: Legacy of the Mountain Meadows Massacre is a 2004 documentary film about the Mountain Meadows massacre. It was directed by Brian Patrick and has won 11 awards, but the producers were unable to obtain theatrical release for the film.

Synopsis

On September 11, 1857, 120 immigrants aboard a wagon train bound for California were killed by Mormons in Utah. The event is described through the testimony of Nancy Sephrona, who was 4 years old at the time, and was one of the 17 known survivors. The film chronicles the struggle of the massacre descendants from both sides who are still haunted by the tragedy.
LDS historian Glen Leonard is interviewed on camera, and makes statements as to the LDS Church's involvement in the massacre and the cover up. At the time, Leonard was working on the book Massacre at Mountain Meadows with historians Richard E. Turley, Jr. and Ronald W. Walker, which was published by Oxford University Press in 2008.
The building of the monuments at the massacre site, as well as a dedication and speech by Gordon B. Hinckley, LDS Church President, can be seen in the documentary. The film also contains footage of forensic analysis of human remains found at the site during construction of the 1999 Monument.