We worked with a downtown business owner who rents the parking lot for use as a staff parking lot. He thought it would be fun to support Guerilla Drive-In by inviting us to use the space. We were all under the impression that we were allowed to be there. We usually just show up and joyfully reclaim public space, but in this case we thought we had permission, so it made sense to have a family screening with a kid-friendly movie. Our biggest concern was logistics around light pollution.
Though our partner in the showing rents the lot, the actual owner of the lot was not happy with the gathering of about 50, including families with kids. Halfway through, the police showed up citing the owner’s concern about liability. Workers at the supportive business insisted that since they pay rent there, and they invited us, we should be allowed to stay and finish the movie, but the cops sided with the owner and shut us down, inviting boos and some tears from members of the audience.
The timing was unfortunate and ironic, as we were at the climax of the movie. The “Lord Protector”, the ruler of the town of Kilkenny, has trapped and chained the magical wolfwalker, parading her around to show off his power over her. Young Mebh fights back to free her fellow wolfwalker, but she is outnumbered and faces a powerfully armed troop of guardsmen.
What will happen?
If you are excited to find out, please join us on Friday October 2 at 7:30, under the Soquel Avenue bridge, on the east side of the river, below the Royal Taj. This showing will just be a showing of Wolfwalkers. We will start it from the beginning for anyone who missed the first half this past Friday. We will not have shorts, we will just hit “play” on Wolfwalkers at 7:30. See you then!
p.s. There have been a lot of rumors about the person responsible for shutting us down and people asking what business he owns so they can boycott. As far as we can tell he is just a landlord. He owns the parking lot and the building next to it, but he does not own a business.
