The 21st Annual Florida Film Festival is adding rock ‘n’ roll to the mix with Rick Springfield’s An Affair of the Heart, which is named after one of his popular songs on his Living in Oz album, and world premiered during the flick fest. Fans supported their fave rock and General Hospital soap star [Noah Drake] by setting a record during the festival this year.
Rick Springfield’s career went into overdrive and super stardom after he released the single “Jessie’s Girl” off the Working Class Dog album in 1981. The song and album won him a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance that year.
The An Affair of the Heart movie screening and Rick Springfield’s appearance on Thursday, April 19 at the Enzian Theater in Maitland sold-out one hour after tickets went on sale on March 21. The first showing on April 14 sold out the day before the premiere at the Winter Park Regal Cinema. The sold-out premiere showings are a good start to An Affair of the Heart’s film festival circuit.
My walls were plastered with Rick Springfield and Duran Duran posters as a teenager so, An Affair of the Heart was at the top of my list during the Florida Film Festival this year. I attended the sold-out world premiere on April 14 where local celebrity Hollis Wilder, the winner of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars and owner of Sweet! By Good Golly Miss Holly in the Waterford Lakes Town Center was in the audience rockin’ out. Scott McKenzie of Scott McKenzie & The Morning Mix on Mix 105.1 FM and local band Simulcast also was in attendance and introduced the movie and its filmmakers Melanie Lentz-Janney and Sylvia Caminer.
(l-r) Sandra Carr and An Affair of the Heart’s executive producer Melanie Lentz-Janney
Photo by Tanya Hanson
Fans continued to go the extra mile by uniting and sharing their passion for Rick Springfield and his music on the big screen during the documentary. The movie’s journey discusses fans that have grown up with Springfield and still hold the torch for him and his music, including Dustin, a teenager that’s fulfilling his rock-star dream, fans Jill and Steve finding love through their mutual adoration for Springfield, Laurie who underwent a second congenital heart surgery when Working Class Dog was released, housewives JoAnn and Sue who get their Rick fix by traveling to see him perform during the weekends and Reverend Kate Dennis who found strength after Shock, Denial, Anger and Acceptance came out. The movie also features concert footage, RickFest in Milwaukee, Wis. , Late, Late At Night book signings and his cruise. The film explains that the fandom isn’t just an obsession but a mutual lifestyle shared by Springfield and his fans. The documentary has been well-accepted and will also be appearing in the Nashville Film Festival (April 19-26) in Nashville, Tenn. and the HOT DOCS film festival in Toronto, Canada, the number one documentary film festival in North America (April 26-May 6).
Rick Springfield and Dustin in An Affair of the Heart.
Image courtesy of the Florida Film Festival
Longtime Rick Springfield fan and executive producer Melanie Lentz-Janney fulfilled her dream of filming a documentary about Springfield and his fans with gal pal and Emmy Award-winning director-producer Sylvia Caminer. They both set out on a mission and captured Springfield’s music and heartfelt-fan moments in a film that’s touching, inspiring, hilarious and a time capsule of rockin’ memories. Orlando public-relations executive Lentz-Janney’s heart and soul went into the production and her passion for Springfield hasn’t waned.
“It was surreal and I will need the rest of my life to process this experience [Laughs]!,” says Lentz-Janney. “At 15, my whole room was decked-out with Rick posters and I hyperventilated when his name was mentioned on television. I had to put that energy into something productive. I was ready for this movie to destroy my fandom because he’s human but I’m proud to say that I’m still a huge Rick Springfield fan.”
Besides Springfield fans, those of you that don’t get rock-star fascination or being a fan in general, then this movie is for you. Walking away from this movie may give you a whole new perspective about being a fan and you may become one yourself.
Sandra Carr with Rick Springfield during a Virgin Megastore signing in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. in 2004.
Image courtesy of Sandra Carr
Stand-by tickets may be available for the sold-out April 19 showing at the Enzian at 9:30 p.m. I highly recommend getting in line early. Fans will be lining up that morning for a chance at purchasing a $10 ticket to see Rick and his flick that night. Fans have traveled as far as Australia for this once-in-a-lifetime fan opportunity. I will be there on the red carpet with local media as well as watching Rick Springfield’s panel discussion after the movie presentation. The evening’s festivities also include Rick Springfield karaoke. Heck, you may even catch me getting my rock-on by singing “An Affair of the Heart.” Find out for yourself by reading my blog.
I have seen Rick Springfield five times and he doesn’t disappoint so, experience his live performance as well as my sixth time seeing him in concert at The Plaza Live in Orlando on Friday, April 20 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $45 (plus a $10.63 service charge) at http://www.plazaliveorlando.com/. See what the hype is all about and why these fans have been devoted to Rick Springfield for more than 30 years. For more information, visit http://www.floridafilmfestival.com and http://rickspringfielddoc.com/news.html.
Assist with An Affair of the Heart being seen at other film festivals across the country, on TV and a DVD release by donating funds at http://www.indiegogo.com/An-Affair-of-the-Heart through Wednesday, April 25. The film’s goal is $25,000. All proceeds will go towards the marketing aspects of the film.
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