The stars of the documentary Air Guitar Nation have no delusions of grandeur. They’re well aware of their status as frustrated musicians who’ve settled for a different type of rock and roll dream — one that includes all the thrills of manic axe-shredding, but without an actual guitar. The film focuses on the first-ever U.S. Air Guitar Championships and the victor’s quest for the world title. An N.Y.C. actor who calls himself C-Diddy (he’s appeared in episodes of Heroes, The Shield, and Law & Order) wins both the East and West Coast rounds, and heads to Finland for global domination. But the determined second-place finisher (the excellently named Bjorn Turoque) won’t give up so easily. Director Alexandra Lipsitz manages genuine tension in the contest’s outcome.
Sat., June 23, 9:05 p.m.; Sun., June 24, 7 p.m.

This article appears in Jun 20-26, 2007.