IN RESPONSE to the firing of Anita Monga, the following films and festivals will not be playing at the Castro:

• Wong Kar-Wai's Days of Being Wild
  
• The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
  
• The Film Noir Festival
  
  

THE FILM COMMUNITY REACTS:

• Ken Eisen, President, Shadow Distribution:
  
  Since Shadow Distribution started, the Castro has been home to our movies: Latcho Drom, Mondo, Windhorse, The Weather Underground, Hukkle, movies that reached an audience not just in the Bay Area, but often in the rest of the country due to the attention they received at the Castro. That attention came only in small part because the Castro's a physically beautiful theater. The interest and attention came from the movies themselves, but also because audiences and critics had come to rely on the unerring taste and conviction of the Castro's wonderful programmer, Anita Monga.

  For that reason, we were particularly excited about the scheduled theatrical premiere of our upcoming San Francisco-based film, "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill," which Anita had been as thrilled about as we were, and which she'd booked to open in early February. But with her unconscionable and imbecilic dismissal by the current Castro owners, we no longer felt that the Castro was home -- either to Shadow, or to our kind of movies. We withdrew "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill" from the Castro, and rescheduled it at the Embarcadero. The only way to make the Castro the place that it was once again would be to get rid of Ted Nasser and to bring back Anita. Since a house is not a home, until that happens, we will not be showing our films at the Castro.

• Barry Gifford, Writer:
   
  The Bay Area film community and the Castro Theatre owe Anita Monga a sincere debt of gratitude for her innovative and brilliant programming these many years. Now she deserves out support and allegiance. She has mine. Her departure is a great loss to the Castro. My hope is that this will be rectified as soon as possible.

• Judy Irving, Producer/Director, "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill" | Executive Director, Pelican Media:
   
  When we heard that our old friend and colleague Anita Monga had been fired, we quickly agreed with our distributor, Ken Eisen of Shadow Distribution -- also a longtime friend of Anita's -- that "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill" should be pulled from the Castro Theatre's upcoming schedule. I believe it was the first film to be pulled in solidarity with her. We'd been looking forward to a 35mm World Theatrical Premiere in that beautiful, huge theatre, and to a generous two-week run...but not without Anita, a brilliant programmer and the reason why the Castro is the highest-grossing arthouse theatre in the country. We want her back! Nassers, you are making a grave mistake.

• David Weissman, Producer, "The Cockettes":
   
  I am not alone in my opinion that The Castro Theater has for many years been the finest cinema in the entire United States. The combination of the beautiful building, the phenomenal programming of Anita Monga and the dedicated theater staff, the Castro’s role in community events such as film festivals and other special programs -- not to mention the wondrous Wurlitzer - have made it a unique treasure. I know of no other theater in the country that shares these qualities.

  I am dismayed by the recent changes initiated at the Castro, particularly Anita’s firing. Anita’s prestige and influence extend far beyond San Francisco, and film lovers everywhere will be hurt by this shortsighted action, as will your own business interests. I urge you to try to find a common ground, and to keep the Castro from joining the ghosts of failed theaters like the Regency, Alhambra, Royal, Surf, Cento Cedar, San Bruno, New Mission, etc, etc.

• Gail Dolgin, Director, "Daughter from Danang":
   
  As a Bay Area independent filmmaker and as a lover of film and the incredible Castro Theatre, I add my voice to the outcry of disbelief at the dismissal of Anita Monga. The Castro Theatre is a Bay Area treasure -- an institution that is notable not just for it’s exquisite architecture and décor, but for the films that have filled the screen and enriched the lives of millions of viewers. Those films didn’t just drop into the projector from a mail order catalog. They were painstakingly programmed by a curator with a deep and nuanced understanding of film -- the art form, the industry, the audiences. The firing of Anita is a travesty.

  The Nasser’s might own the building with the right to hire and fire at will, but they have seriously underestimated the power of local filmmakers and film audiences. We are not a silent movie (even though we’ve loved many that have screened at the Castro) and are united in a protest that will loudly translate into action as more filmmakers pull scheduled screenings and viewers stay away in droves.

  We urge you to reconsider your decision. It is an egregious mistake.

• Jennifer Chaiken, President, Chaiken Films:
   
  Dear Mr. Nasser,

  I write to you on behalf of Anita Monga and the strong community of film lovers here in San Francisco and across the country.

  I imagine you have a sense of how much the Castro Theater means to the San Francisco film community. But what I am not sure of, is whether you have an appreciation for what a treasure it is not only here in San Francisco, but across the nation. I am a local film producer, formerly of NY, who has had several films distributed nationally. I can tell you that there is no other theater in this entire country that remotely touches the rarity that the Castro is.

  Anita Monga is not just a booker, but rather more a curator. The programming that she has put together over the years has served not only to please audiences of all types, but to provide a line-up of films that even if one doesn’t know what a film is, they might just pop in because of the reputation that she has built. Filmmakers and distributors alike pray that they might be able to be donned with the blessing of screening at the Castro, as again, there is no experience like it. Screening at the Castro not only gives one’s film exposure, but also a tremendous amount of respect. And again, this is not a localized experience, but one that carries far beyond the limits of San Francisco.

  It is my understanding that the theater is moving more in the direction of “family programming”. I write this letter not as one who resistant to change, as change is inevitable. I want this to be very clear. San Francisco is a city that can be extremely resistant to change, and please know that I am not writing to you from this mindset. The Castro is classic in every sense of the word. I would hope that shifting the programming in this way be taken with great consideration and strong due diligence before moving forward ahead. There are so many theaters in this city that currently cater to “family programming”. And even if you offer specialized family classics, I would venture to guess that you may not get the crowds that you are hoping to bring in -- if what you care about in particular is your bottom line. I don’t think that anyone would argue that the Castro district is the center of “traditional family life”, nor is it the first place that families come to when visiting the city. And thus, one should consider the surroundings before shifting the programming so drastically.

  I know I am not alone in saying that the firing of Anita Monga was a sad day in film. The Castro is a very special place, and it is my greatest hope that you will reconsider the most recent decisions you have made and move towards keeping the theater on track with the great success that it has seen over the past years.

• Dina Ciraulo, Filmmaker:
   
  Dear Nasser Family,

  One of the greatest things about San Francisco is the Castro Theater. There are very few movie screens like it anywhere in the world. And its significance goes beyond its role as a place to see films.

  The Castro is more than a movie theater. It has become a cultural institution. People go to the Castro for the same reason they might go to a museum: to see compelling, rare, or unusual work presented in a first-rate setting. Audiences at the Castro are aware of the fact that they are participating in something unique, and that is part of the pleasure of the experience.

  While many older movie screens survive as repertory houses, few have the international reputation of the Castro Theater. This is a result of Anita Monga's expert programming. Her longstanding connection to the local and international film community, coupled with her thorough knowledge of film history, has transformed the Castro from a lovely rep house into a world-class venue.

  You have done a wonderful job maintaining the physical integrity of the building, and deserve commendation for your work. It is my hope, however, that you recognize the cultural significance the Castro has undertaken under Anita Monga's leadership. She cannot be easily replaced. The Castro may survive, but not as an artistic institution.

  Please reconsider your decision.

• Judith Lit - New York City:
   
  Unfortunately I no longer live in SF, having moved to New York a number of years ago, but I am a longtime friend, collegue and admirer of Anita Monga. I am anxious to help in any way possible to see her re-instated as programmer at the Castro.

  Anita and I met during in the late '80's, when I was one of the directors of On Screen: A Celebration of Women in Film, the festival put on by Northern California Women in Film & Television. I was immediately struck not only by her unerring good taste and creative programming but also by her generosity and impeccable sense of ethics. Anita is "one of a kind" and has had a huge part in growing Bay Area film...providing a home to festivals, supporting independent filmmakers, making available restored prints, creating vibrant and original programs and events, and educating viewers for a great many years. She has truly nurtured the Bay Area film community and has helped bring it national respect. It is unthinkable that her unique accomplishments and the person who she is not be treasured by those to whose theater she has dedicated so much of her life.

  I'm heartened to see that San Francisco cinephiles are standing up for all that the Castro represents and for the woman who has made it what it is. I am with you in spirit.

• Jenni Olson, Filmmaker/Writer:
   
  Some of my fondest moments here in San Francisco have taken place in this wonderful building which is so much more than just a movie theater. The re-release of Vertigo, the anniversary screening of The Godfather, so many of our fabulous film festivals, and, of course, the countless classics that deserve to be experienced on the big screen. Over the years Monga’s film programming has been so exceptional (she put bold choices alongside solid indie and repertory fare and she always stood out from the pack); her staff have been of the highest caliber -- always welcoming, informative and professional; the projection and technical management have also been uniquely impressive. Of course, these are the kinds of things that people often don’t notice. That is to say, when everything is as it should be, people take it for granted.

• Greg River - Reno, Nevada
   
  I spent 23 years in San Francisco and have seen over 1,000 films at the Castro Theater. The theater had a magic that transcended its sometimes worn and aged condition and transported movie goers to a time and place that hardly exists in America any more. I moved from SF in 2002, to Reno, NV and I miss the Castro and Anita's programming. I can only say that this change by the owners is not only bad for film, bad for art, bad for San Francisco -- but it is also bad for the Nassers. The economics will backfire on them as people have too many opportunities to see too many poor, contemporary films in too many venues. The Castro brought people from all over the city and the Bay Area.

• Barbara Hammer, Film Director, Resisting Paradise:
   
  As a longtime resident of the Bay Area and now a New York City Resident, and, as a filmmaker who shows regularly at independent showcases, I can tell you that the decision to let the sensitive and intelligent Anita Monga "go" from her position as programmer at The Castro Theater in wrong and ill-thought. Please reconsider. I imagine if this change goes through, the theater owners will find a serious strike of Bay Area residents who will refuse to attend no matter what the programming. This financial cost prohibits the continual theatrical run as audiences after audiences stay away and the 1200 seat historic space is empty. I can envision this scene. For independent filmmakers, for audience members, for the entire film-loving communities of the world, I implore you to reconsider and retain the excellent Anita Monga as programmer.