THANKS FOR A GREAT SEASON!
Thanks to our audiences, volunteers, performers, sponsors, donors, vendors, programmers, event coordinators, and partners for making the 2024 Summer Series a blast.
The astounding 4000+ of you attended the screenings this year and we hope to see even more of you next summer and throughout the year, as we continue bringing riveting cinema to the Ojai Valley, to be enjoyed outdoors and completely free.
PAST SCREENINGS
2024 SUMMER LINE UP
OCTOBER 11 2024 | LIBBEY BOWL
IN THE HEIGHTS
FRIDAY
10/11
7:30 PM
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
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The 2021 film follows Usnavi, the bodega owner, and his dream to fly back to the Dominican Republic and rebuild his father’s business. Every day he’s saving with his dream in mind, but until then he takes care of the old Cuban lady who mothers the whole neighbourhood and pines after Vanessa, the aspiring fashion designer.
His best friend, Benny, dreams of a life as a wealthy businessman, while Benny’s ex-girlfriend, Nina, a college student, struggles with the weight of the neighbourhood’s expectations, especially her father.
2021 | Running Time: 2 h 23 min | Musical | Rated PG-13
“Unpeel the song-and-dance romance and escapism, and there’s a socially engaged, issue-led drama under the sparkle and pizzazz.”
SEPTEMBER 27 2024 | LIBBEY BOWL
MAYA AND THE WAVE
FRIDAY
9/27
7:30 PM
Directed by: Stephanie Johnes
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Maya Gabeira grew up in Brazil with a dream to surf competitively. Like any surfer, she had to overcome the hazards of the ocean through training and discipline. But she was also forced to confront deep chauvinism in the male-dominated sport as naysayers second-guessed her every move. In “Maya and the Wave,” we follow Gabeira on a quest to break a world record in the Portuguese town of Nazaré, known for its big waves. We watch Maya navigate the sports business and endure constant undermining that reflects what happens in many fields where women need to work harder than men to get equal recognition.
2022 | Running Time: 1 h 35 min | Documentary | Rated PG
“The film more than succeeds in its primary goals of providing an inspirational role model plus lots of stupendous surfing footage, a combination that will enthrall most viewers.”
SEPTEMBER 20 2024 | LIBBEY BOWL
THE WIZARD OF OZ
FRIDAY
9/20
7:30 PM
Directed by: Victor Fleming
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When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy Gale and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to the magical Land of Oz. They follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, and on the way, meet a Scarecrow who wants a brain, a Tin Man who wants a heart, and a Cowardly Lion who wants courage. The Wizard asks them to bring him the Wicked Witch of the West's broom to earn his help – and the real trouble begins.
1939 | Running Time: 1h 42min | Narrative | Rated G
“The Wizard of Oz” fills such a large space in our imagination. It somehow seems real and important in a way most movies don’t. Is that because we see it first when we’re young? Or simply because it is a wonderful movie? Or because it sounds some buried universal note, some archetype or deeply felt myth?”
JULY 26th 2024 | LIBBEY BOWL
STOP MAKING SENSE
FRIDAY
7/26
7:30 PM
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
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Directed by the prolific Jonathan Demme, “Stop Making Sense” stars core band members David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison along with Bernie Worrell, Alex Weir, Steve Scales, Lynn Mabry and Edna Holt. The powerful show pulls you right into the musical landscape of the iconic band: its politics, rebelliousness, stellar musicianship, and unforgettable songwriting.
1984 | Running Time: 1h 28 min | Documentary | Rated PG
“It’s a treat for fans (Heads heads?) and a chance for the uninitiated to tune in to the band that has come to personify postmodernist rock ‘n’ roll.”
AUGUST 9th 2024 | LIBBEY BOWL
BACK TO THE FUTURE
FRIDAY
8/09
7:30 PM
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
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In this 1980s sci-fi classic, small-town California teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is thrown back into the '50s when an experiment by his eccentric scientist friend Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) goes awry. Traveling through time in a time-machine car, Marty encounters young versions of his parents (Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson), and must make sure that they fall in love or he'll cease to exist. Even more dauntingly, Marty has to return to his own time and save the life of Doc Brown.
1985 | Running Time: 1h 56min | Narrative | Rated PG
“Inventive, funny, and breathlessly constructed, Back to the Future is a rousing time-travel adventure with an unforgettable spirit.”
AUGUST 23 2024 | LIBBEY BOWL
NEXT GOAL WINS
FRIDAY
8/23
7:30 PM
Directed by: Taika Waititi
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The film follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup qualifiers fast approaching thirteen years later, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team into winners.
2023 | Running Time: 1h 44min | Narrative | Rated PG-13
“Next Goal Wins” may not seem like the most original film, but the fact that it’s based on actual, if somewhat improbable, events means that it ultimately earns its uplifting perspective, owing largely to Waititi’s heartfelt commitment to the story.”