DAY TWO  November 4, 2005
Aquafina Pure Vision Screening Series Serves Up Movies Under the Stars
by James J. Cremin
The Rooftop Village at AFI FEST 2005 plays host to a variety of parties, arrivals and special events during the duration of the Festival, but perhaps none more exciting for music and film buffs than the Aquafina Pure Vision Outdoor Screenings: Music Docs at Midnight series.
Los Angelenos famously love their cars, but during AFI FEST 2005's weekends they can literally enjoy a sit-in instead of a drive-in. Scheduled for both Friday and Saturday nights during the Festival (November 4-5 and November 11-12), the series of four diverse music documentaries will take place at the Rooftop Village on the 7th Floor of the ArcLight Hollywood parking structure, and let movie lovers enjoy films under the stars.
Tucked between views of the Hollywood Sign, downtown to the east and the coast to the west, attendees can enjoy the nostalgia of having a shared experience with other moviegoers in an outside setting--projected here on an enormous outdoor screen with state-of-the-art sound. Those wishing to let the music move them, meanwhile, should find plenty of room to groove and dance about.
On Friday, November 4, JOHNNY CASH: THE MAN, HIS WORLD, HIS MUSIC kicks off the series. In the wake of Thursday's Opening Night Gala presentation of WALK THE LINE, this 1969 documentary chronicling the real "Man in Black" at the top of his game should prove a hit. Shot mainly on tour and containing many rare clips, this 90-minute feature includes 21 song performances in a variety of settings. Among the classic duet partners are Cash's wife, June Carter; Bob Dylan; and Carl Perkins, who started his own career around the same time at the legendary Sun Records Studio, and was a frequent collaborator. The fly-on-the-wall film also includes unique footage of Cash relaxing and visiting friends and family.
 The following evening, Saturday, November 5, BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB screens. This 1999 documentary is a real success story. Singer Ibrahim Ferrer, guitarist Compay Segundo and many talented others all had their careers cut short when Fidel Castro's regime took over Cuba in the 1950s. Musicologist, film composer and slide guitarist extraordinaire Ry Cooder brought this legendary group of musicians, some in their 90s, out of retirement to record sounds that otherwise could have been forgotten. The result was a very successful record and a tour of Amsterdam and New York. Director Wim Wenders filmed interviews with all of the band members, which are smartly interspersed between the songs.
Though he passed away in 1981, Bob Marley remains very popular--revered as a singer, guitarist, songwriter and activist. The famous reggae artist was honored in a December 1999 tribute concert originally broadcast on TNT. On Friday, November 11, that concert--ONE LOVE: THE BOB MARLEY ALL-STAR TRIBUTE--will screen at AFI FEST 2005, featuring a cross-section of major rock, pop, hip-hop and reggae talent, including Erykah Badu, Chrissie Hyde, Jimmy Cliff, Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes, Tracy Chapman and the Marley family. Rest assured that this documentary will be jamming, jamming, jamming.
A decidedly different vibe will rule the Rooftop Village the next night, Saturday, November 12, when ABBA - THE MOVIE screens. Keyboardist/vocalist Benny Andersson, guitarist/vocalist Bjorn Ulvaeus and vocalists Anni-Frig Lynstag and Agnetha Falskog were once one of the most successful pop groups on the planet. Their name comprised of the initials of the members' first names, ABBA used a successful tour of Australia in 1977 to help launch themselves to international stardom, and this quasi-documentary from director Lasse Hallstroem captures backstage footage, song clips--including Dancing Queen, Tiger, Name of the Game and Eagle--and more from these concerts. There's also an odd narrative subplot involving a country disc jockey desperately trying to land an interview with the band and ABBA's main bodyguard, who's determined to stop him. Light and easygoing--just like ABBA's fun music--this is a film you cannot see on DVD or home video in the United States.
Such exclusivity is not surprising. Aquafina has been offering very popular outdoor movie experiences at film festivals across the country, as part of its commitment to independent film. Documentaries are a special focus, as highlighted by the Aquafina Pure Vision Award.
The screenings at AFI FEST take place at midnight, and are free and open to the public. On site, there will be an Aquafina FlavorSplash bar, where consumers can taste test the new innovation of flavored water. FlavorSplash--the stand-alone brand name from the makers of Aquafina--is water with a splash of natural fruit flavor, sweetened with Splenda brand sucralose and available in Raspberry, Citrus Blend and Wildberry flavors.
The makers of Aquafina believe that by offering a unique experience to AFI FEST and Los Angelenos, people will come to enjoy the spirit of independent film, as well as the refreshing, pure taste of Aquafina. Fun and memorable nights under the stars seem a certainty, so bring your sweater and a friend.
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