Mesa Verde National Park staff will present premiere screenings of “Heart of the World: Colorado’s National Parks,” on March 23 at 7 p.m. at the Sunflower Theatre, 2 E. Main in Cortez and on March 24 at 7 p.m. at the Fort Lewis College chemistry building in Durango.

These events are free and open to the public.

Producer/director Chris Wheeler will introduce the film and answer questions at the end of each screening.

Profiled in this documentary series are: Mesa Verde National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and Colorado National Monument. The series tells the stories of five of the most amazing parks on the planet. Each episode fuses together the natural histories of each park. The documentary combines stunning photography of the parks filmed through the seasons; breathtaking helicopter aerials; inspirational on-camera interviews; outstanding wildlife shots and fascinating 3D graphics to tell the stories of five of the most remarkable places on the planet.

The Production Company, Great Divide Pictures, based in Denver, is an award-winning production company, and prolific creator of National Park Service films, having produced 28 Visitor Center films since 1996, as well as broadcast series. “Heart of the World,” a three-hour documentary series will be released to public television on April 4.

Sponsors for the Cortez screening are Mesa Verde Country and the Sunflower Theater. Sponsor for the Durango screening is the Mesa Verde Foundation.