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August 1, 2005
Crowd is small, thankful at Freedom FilmFestAldrich happy but isn't sure about an encoreByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - For Gerry Schichtel - who this weekend saw "Top Gun" for the first time - the alternative Freedom Film Festival wrapped its debut with "just the kind of movies I like." Schichtel acknowledged he doesn't go to the movies very often, but said he thought it would be fun to see the classic "On the Waterfront" along with "Top Gun." He wasn't disappointed. He joined appreciative - albeit small - audiences that chose to view films that promised to incorporate faith, family and patriotism. "I wouldn't go to any of Michael Moore's films; I don't like his political views," Schichtel said of the award-winning filmmaker and founder of the Traverse City Film Festival. Most of Saturday's movies were introduced by festival co-founder Cheryl Felicia Rhoads, who focused on faith-based messages and the symbolism audiences should look for in movies. She encouraged the 15 people who showed up for "On the Waterfront" to have the courage to take a stand, even when it's not popular. "Remember, you are not without God's love," she said. "You may lose the battle but with faith you will win the war." Bob and Cheri Shoaff brought their children to see "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Top Gun." With a relative who's in the second seat on fighter jets in Iraq, Cheri Shoaff said "Top Gun," a film about Navy pilots, "was very appealing." "The Ronald Reagan video was very good, too," Bob Shoaff said. "It was amazing to see what went on behind the scenes." The alternative film festival's crowds were meager compared to the thousands that attended Moore's festival, but founder Genie Aldrich said she was happy with the turnout. "There's more than one of us," she said. Aldrich said the purpose of her festival was to make a statement, one clearly aimed at Moore, whose documentary films skewered General Motors, the National Rifle Association and President George W. Bush. "Our presence here is to push back extremists and America-haters," Aldrich said. Aldrich said she was referring to Moore and other filmmakers who present an "underhanded, distorted message of extreme misrepresentation of life" that fulfills their personal agenda of "covert propaganda." Aldrich said her festival will cost as much as $18,000 and she's still raising money to cover the costs. For now it's too early to tell if her festival will return next year. "Right now, it's a day at a time and one film festival at a time," she said. See Related Stories: Glitch puts R-rated film onscreen at Traverse Bay Freedom Festival - August 1, 2005 'Faith-based' crowd cheers Freedom FilmFest - July 30, 2005 Anti-Moore festival to open - July 29, 2005 Traverse Bay Freedom Film Fest schedule of events - July 29, 2005 Anti-Moore festival to open - July 29, 2005 Traverse Bay Freedom Filmfest: 'Mainstream' against 'extremist' - July 26, 2005 FilmFest is 'one-woman show'; Donors prefer to remain anonymous - July 26, 2005 TC Film Fest movies AFR objects to - July 26, 2005 Coming back to her roots: Aldrich motivated by Moore's politics - July 25, 2005 AFR Freedom FilmFest opens next Friday - July 22, 2005 Conservatives offer alternate film festival - July 7, 2005
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