Outdoor movies at Bridal Veil Falls

The night began in a flurry as tents, lanterns, chairs, and a gigantic inflatable movie screen sprang up at the base of Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon. As the last rays of sunset caught the cascading waterfall -- just meters from our makeshift theater -- the film began: Life is Beautiful. Canyon walls rose like skyscrapers around us, crowned with an indigo sky and the first sparkling stars. In the middle of it all came the melodic strains of Italian dialogue: Buon giorno, Principessa!

The first weekend of the Bridal Veil Film Festival drew over 150 attendees on opening night alone. Saturday's screening of Amélie was followed by an 80s dance popular with the college crowd. Films screen at 8 p.m. nightly through September 28: Life is Beautiful (Italy), Amélie (France), Dreams (Japan), Children of Heaven (Iran), Cinema Paradiso (Italy), Chariots of Fire (England), Grizzly Man (USA), Wings of Desire (Germany), Wardance (Uganda), 2001: A Space Odyssey, City of God (Brazil). All proceeds benefit the Rwanda Cinema Center.