The Athena Cinema, the Ohio University Performing Arts and Concert Series and Stuart’s Opera House are collaborating to bring music documentaries to Athens.
The six-part Masters MixTape film series will start Sunday at 7 p.m. with a screening of Monterey Pop. Admission is $5 for every showtime.
Andrew Holzaepfel, the senior associate director of student activities, reached out to Alex Kamody, the director of the Athena, to coordinate the event. Holzaepfel said Stuart’s Opera House used to put on film screenings as well.
“That is our goal, to work with as many partners as possible,” he said. “For us, we view the arts as a community thing. It’s not getting credit for the Performing Arts Series — it’s what can we bring to Athens and who can we team up to make it happen.”
The Athena has shown music documentaries in the past, Kamody said, but it has not put on a series that combined movies about music and “very well-respected directors.”
D. A. Pennebaker, the director of Monterey Pop, directed other music documentaries like Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back. A documentary about the Rolling Stones titled Gimme Shelter will be the second movie played and Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, a comedy and music documentary, will close out the series.
Kamody likes collaborating with other entities around Athens because it makes for a better series of films and helps with promotion. Jackie O’s Brewery will also provide beer for the screenings of Monterey Pop.
“The more partners we have on events the better,” she said. “The more people who are engaged with it and are involved with the idea just makes for a more successful event.”
Kamody said seeing music films on a big screen allows for a different experience because of the quality of sound and picture.
“I’m looking forward to seeing if we can attract an audience that is a mix of students and community members,“ Kamody said. “I’m mostly looking forward to hearing people’s response to seeing these films back on the big screen.”
