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July 22, 2005Freedom FilmFest opens next FridayDallas group joins Suttons Bay resident, actress for eventBY BECKY KALAJIANSpecial to the Record-Eagle TRAVERSE CITY - The Traverse Bay Freedom FilmFest, billed in announcements as a "counter festival announced in response to Michael Moore," runs July 29 and 30 in Traverse City. Co-founded by friends Genie Aldrich of Suttons Bay and actress Cheryl Felicia Rhoads of Hollywood, the festival will debut at the Park Place Hotel on Friday, July 29, at noon. The documentary "Michael Moore Hates America" is on tap, as well as a red carpet celebratory kick-off with a girl singing "The Star Spangled Banner" and veterans attending. Aldrich said some of Moore's festival offerings "do not represent the mainstream opinion" of how the U.S. is portrayed to the world. "This is a very patriotic area, so I decided I would found my own film festival to show the mainstream way of life," said the Suttons Bay resident. The films being shown include: - "Confronting Iraq," in which, according to the St. Petersburg Times, former CIA director James Woolsey is featured in a focus on "what you didn't hear about the threat Iraq posed to America." - "Echoes of Innocence" is a modern-day Joan of Arc story about a young girl who hears voices. - "In the Face of Evil: Reagan's War in Word and Deed" is a tribute to Ronald Reagan based on the book, "Reagan's War." - "Michael Moore Hates America" is a documentary from director Michael Wilson that emulates Moore's style to demonstrate how Wilson believes Moore manipulates film footage and sound clips to tell the truth as he wants it portrayed. - "America's Heart and Soul," a documentary in which filmmaker Louis Schwartzberg goes on the road to capture the beauty of the land along with the spirit of the people. - The 1954 classic, "On the Waterfront," which is about a slightly dim-witted ex-boxer in New Jersey who faces testifying against the mobsters who control the longshoremen's union. In addition, older films like "Charlotte's Web," "Top Gun" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" are scheduled. There is no charge to attend any of the screenings. To get the films, Aldrich and Rhoads contacted American Film Renaissance, a conservative group in Dallas, which holds the rights to show the movies. AFR has staged one festival in Dallas so far and helped a similar festival in Little Rock, with another planned later this year in Los Angeles. In addition to providing the movies, American Film Renaissance is helping with national press, funding the locales and assisting with event day logistics like audio-visual set up, though AFR founder Jim Hubbard said it's all being funded with Traverse City area money. Aldrich estimates the festival will cost between $13,000-18,000. She said she has been financing a lot of it on her credit card. Horizon Cinemas' $2,500 rental cost was paid a few weeks ago by AFR. Rates at the Park Place start at $6,400 and Aldrich said she is receiving assistance from AFR on that as well. "All of the money is coming from Traverse City - from support there," said Hubbard, of Dallas. "We're providing logistical support, things like that. "Since we're already a 501c3 (non-profit), we're the official sponsor ... but I wanted to make sure all of the money came from Traverse City." Aldrich is also accepting donations, she said. Despite the cost, the entire festival will be free to the public on a first come, first serve basis. Aldrich said she has arranged for several "big name" speakers to come, including "Dallas" actress Morgan Brittany introducing "Echoes of Innocence" (she is not in the movie); Sgt. Peter Damon, who was in Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11"; and film aviation consultant Lt. Cdr. Joe Cooper, who will speak prior to the film, "Confronting Iraq." Rhoads will introduce "On the Waterfront." Aldrich has also contacted certain Hollywood glitterati, such as a corn rowed blonde beauty, a passionate filmmaker, and a recently engaged, couch-jumping star, but asked that their names not be revealed in print. "They have private jets, but these stars book 18 months out," she said. She admits that she has put "a lot" of effort into the festival. Her only worry, she said, is that there won't be enough room to accommodate everyone who wants to come. The Park Place holds 250; the screening room at Horizon Cinemas holds 125. But even if there is an overflow crowd, "we'll wait for the next movie and have a celebration on the sidewalk." Information is available at www.afrfilmfestival.com.
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