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Orlando, Florida: Film Festival Encompasses Fee Outdoor Movies

By Open Air Cinema on April 9, 2010 in Outdoor Movie Events

Logo for Florida Film Festival 2010

The 19^t^h Florida Film Festival gets underway tonight, with 164 features, documentaries and short films of every stripe. This year, films will be shown at The Enzian (the home theater of the FFF), theRegal Winter Park 20 and downtown’s Plaza Cinema Café, as well as Central Park in Winter Park and in Lake Eola Bandshell in downtown Orlando.

The must-see event? “An Evening with Gena Rowlands andSeymour Cassel,” following an April 16 (7:30 p.m., Enzian) screening of Faces, one of the first films to accurately be labeled “indie.” They were co-stars in Faces, directed by Rowlands’ late husband, filmmaker John Cassavetes.

Must-see movies? How about Winter’s Bone, The Secret of Kells, No. 4 Street of Our Lady, New Low, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Solitary Man, Harry Brown, Racing Dreams, Punching the Clown, Best Worst Movie for starters?

The theme is “Film Sweet Film,” with a nod to movies that say “Home.” Some 25,000 people attend FFF movies, parties, forums and special events every year, which tells you there’s something for every taste and every budget. What are you waiting for, an invitation?

Forums, book signings and outdoor “popcorn” movies are the best bargains of all. They’re free.

Roger Moore

Orlando, Florida: Film Festivals Cooperate to Bring Outdoor Showings to Locals

By Open Air Cinema on February 19, 2010 in Outdoor Movie Events

Still from 'Ghostbusters'

With the two festivals at opposite ends of the year, it’s only natural that there be not just a friendly rivalry (they are making each other better), but a little cooperation. We hear the FFF may get to show films at The Plaza Cinema Cafe, though no official word on whether that’s worked out yet. Might The Enzian actually host an OFF event or two in the fall? Let’s float that trial balloon, too, while we’re at it.

“Free movies return to downtown Orlando on Sunday, March 14, at 7:45 p.m. A unique partnership of the Orlando Film Festival, the Florida Film Festival, and the Downtown Development Board (DDB) brings the return of flickering entertainment under the stars to the shores of Lake Eola.

“MOVIE NIGHT DOWNTOWN” will debut with a screening of GHOSTBUSTERS at the Lake Eola Bandshell. “The collaboration between the Orlando Film Festival and the Florida Film Festival brings the resources of two great movie institutions to a wonderful effort which will delight and entertain and become another jewel of downtown living,” said Brett Jaffee, Chairman of the Orlando Film Festival.

The Orlando Film Festival screens over a hundred features, shorts, and documentary films at the Plaza Cinema Café theaters in the heart of the city. The 5th Orlando Film Festival will take place November 10 through November 14. All screenings are free.

Henry Maldonado, President of Enzian and the Florida Film Festival, adds, “Watching a movie under the stars is a wonderful experience. Our Popcorn Flicks are entering their 8^th year in Winter Park, and this partnership with our friends at the Orlando Film Festival and the DDB brings all this fun to a truly beautiful setting. This is the logical evolution of a beautiful friendship.”

The Florida Film Festival is entering its 19^th year, April 9 through April 18. The Festival attracts over 25,000 fans and is considered one of the top 15 film festivals in the nation. Enzian Theater, home of the festival, is currently celebrating its 25^th birthday with a year-long series of special programs.

The Movie Night Downtown series has scheduled two dates, March 14 and April 11; both start at 7:45 p.m. The first showing will take place at the Lake Eola Bandshell with the classic comedy, GHOSTBUSTERS. The second screening will be a picnic and movie under the stars, slated to coincide with the Florida Film Festival. Attendees are invited to bring blankets and box dinners, and watch COCOON, which also celebrates its 25^th anniversary this year.

Orlando, Florida: Drive-In Theaters May Close, but Guerrilla Cinema is on the Rise

By Open Air Cinema on June 18, 2009 in Guerilla Cinema, Outdoor Movie Events

Outdoor Movies with Guerrilla Cinemas Interesting story on something I saw in its early stages in North Carolina some years back — the “guerrilla drive-in.” In NC, it was classic car clubs that were reviving the practice, showing outdoor movies on a temp screen (or convenient wall) for assembled 1950s and 60s car nuts.

This other trend seems to be even more underground — sneaking around, showing movies in odd or “fitting” locations. Guerrilla cinemas show movies in parking lots, parks, downtown -usually anywhere with a blank wall. Usually these outdoor film screenings are impromptu and secret, with audiences following via text message, radio signal, or the internet.

I see from the authoritative Drive-ins.com site that Florida still has the Lake Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Ruskin and Dade City driveins, and of course the great Silver Moon in Lakeland, one of the finest surviving drive-ins anywhere.

But almost half the ones I wrote about after visiting them all a few years ago are gone–Ocala, Naples, Jacksonville, Fort Myers all joined the dearly departed. Yet the guerrilla cinemas infiltrating our parks and parking lots seem to be more popular than ever.

Of course, in Florida, sweltering in 80 degree heat after dark with bugs all around you isn’t most people’s idea of summer fun.

Source: “Guerilla drive-ins show up where real drive-ins have gone extinct” -posted on the OtownRog, Orlando Sentinel. Read full article at: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_movies_blog/2009/06/guerilla-driveins-show-up-where-real-driveins-have-gone-extinct.html.

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