CALLING ALL FILM LOVERS:
PROTEST TO SAVE THE CASTRO!

For the past twenty-eight years, the Castro Theatre has been a unique combination of beautiful movie palace and intelligent, innovative programming. And for the last sixteen years Anita Monga has been the person whose hard work has made the Castro what it is. Internationally respected, Anita has been called one of the top programmers in the country. Under her direction, the Castro has screened rare silents, premiered films like Errol Morris's The Thin Blue Line, shown retrospectives of filmmakers from Fatty Arbuckle to Fassbinder, premiered rereleases of Vertigo and The Godfather trilogy, and convinced MGM to give the restored Yellow Submarine a theatrical release, instead of sending it straight to DVD. Monga is a Bay Area treasure. Why was someone of her stature, influence, and reputation fired? The Theatre owners won’t say, but we can let them know they’ve made a big mistake.

FIVE-DAY BOYCOTT: January 1 - 5, 2005
Let’s send the owners the strongest message we can: their “new and improved” Castro is no longer our home. For the first five days of 2005 we are calling on all audience members to avoid the Castro Theatre. <more info>

Take a Stand at the Concession Stand
Did you know that movie theatres make most of their money selling popcorn, soda and candy, not tickets? Boycotting the concession stand is a simple way to register our displeasure with the Castro Theatre’s new direction, without hurting the film festivals who may not have been able to move to another venue. <more info>

> Two great reports by Gary Meyer of the Balboa Theater:
     -- "The Castro Quandary" (scroll down the page a bit)
     -- "What is Happening at the Castro?" (scroll down the page a bit)

Audiences in Action is a group of film lovers organized to express their distress at the Castro’s new direction. The group has no connection with Anita Monga, except as admirers of her programming for the past sixteen years.