The documentary LIVE FOREVER: The Ray Bradbury Odyssey will premiere in Ventura November 11, 2012.
Ray Bradbury, beloved science fiction and fantasy author, was a great supporter of public libraries, saying over the years that he received his education in public libraries. In fact, The Fireman, later published under the name Fahrenheit 451, was written on a typewriter for rent at ten cents per half-hour in UCLA’s Powell Library for a total cost of $9.80.
Throughout his life, Bradbury liked to recount the story of meeting a carnival magician, Mr. Electrico, in 1932. At the end of his performance Electrico reached out to the twelve-year-old Bradbury, touched him on the nose with an electrified sword, made his hair stand on end, and shouted, “Live forever!” Bradbury remarked, “I felt that something strange and wonderful had happened to me because of my encounter with Mr. Electrico…[he] gave me a future…I began to write, full-time. I have written every single day of my life since that day.
In 2005, Bradbury published a book of essays titled Bradbury Speaks, in which he wrote: In my later years I have looked in the mirror each day and found a happy person staring back. Occasionally I wonder why I can be so happy. The answer is that every day of my life I’ve worked only for myself and for the joy that comes from writing and creating. The image in my mirror is not optimistic, but the result of optimal behavior.
It is fitting, then, that proceeds from the premiere and after party will benefit Ventura’s libraries under the aegis of San Buenaventura Friends of the Library.
TICKETS:
$20 “Reading Rewards” Ticket includes Pre-screening Discussion with filmmaker and special guests plus Screening. These tickets are almost sold out.
$90 “Library Benefit” Ticket includes Pre-screening Discussion, Screening and After-Party at Watermark Restaurant 6 – 8 pm.Half the cost of each Library Benefit ticket will go to benefit Ventura’s libraries.
Whichever ticket you buy, we hope to see all of you on November 11.
The Ventura Film Society’s website is now processing Paypal payments for LIVE FOREVER at www.venturafilmsociety.com/tickets.html.