(Image | Courtesy of BendFilm)
BendFilm has announced a new lineup full of creative ways to see films outside in the comfort of a car. Films in the lineup celebrate throwback classics, the natural world, Black lives and more. The Tin Pan Alley outdoor film screening will also continue through September on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
In addition to the in-person screenings, BendFilm will continue to offer virtual rentals of new release films through the Tin Pan Theater. New titles are listed each week at TinPanTheater.com.
Todd Looby, BendFilm executive director, said, “We truly didn’t know that people would respond to the drive-in in the way they are. It is so inspiring to see the desire for people to come together in a safe way. We are in a time filled with a lot of uncertainty and anxiety and we need each other to get through it and work for the change that’s needed. I hope these additional screenings provide a release and can help us in some way work for a way forward.”
While the screenings are outdoors, BendFilm kindly requests that all guests continue to practice responsible physical distancing and stay in or next to your car during the film. Please wear a mask if you need to exit your seat or car.
2020 BendFilm Pop-Up Drive-In Movies:
Come celebrate summer with your friends at a safe physical distance and enjoy films uniquely suited for outdoor viewing from the comforts of your car at the BendFilm Pop-Up Drive-In. The drive-in is hosted at the corner of Shevlin-Hixon and Columbia near the Deschutes Brewery Warehouse. Gates open at 6:30pm and films start just after dusk or roughly 8pm. Tickets can be purchased on bendticket.com/107826594/bendfilm-pop-up-drive-in.
RAD directed by Hal Needham
Friday, September 4
RAD is the story of a bicycle-motocrosser (Bill Allen) as he tries to enter a corrupt promoter’s nationally televised cash-prize race. Hal Brett Needham was a legendary American stuntman, film director, actor and writer. He worked as a stunt performer on more than 30 films, eventually earning the status as Hollywood’s highest-paid stuntman. In his biography, he boasted that he “broke 56 bones, my back twice, punctured a lung and knocked out a few teeth.” Best known for his frequent collaborations with actor Burt Reynolds, such as Smokey and the Bandit, Hooper, The Cannonball Run and Stroker Ace, Hal branched out beyond stunt performing. He moved on to direct films that involved action, risk, and fast cars. In 2012, Needham was awarded a Governor’s Award by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, where he was introduced by Quentin Tarantino. While accepting his trophy, he told the audience, “You know, you’re looking at the luckiest man alive. And lucky to be alive.”
The Muppet Movie (1979) directed by James Frawley
Saturday, September 5
After Kermit the Frog decides to pursue a movie career, he starts his cross-country trip from Florida to California. Along the way, he meets and befriends Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and rock musicians Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. When Kermit is offered a job by Doc Hopper (Charles Durning) to advertise the fried frog legs at his restaurant chain, Kermit turns Hopper down. However, Hopper refuses to relent and pursues Kermit and his companions to a final showdown.
The Last Blockbuster directed by Taylor Morden and Zeke Kamm
Friday, September 11
The Last Blockbuster is a feature-length documentary film about the rise and fall of Blockbuster video and how one small town store managed to outlast a corporate giant. Come see the film that celebrates Bend’s most recent claim to fame and our wonderful neighbor, Sandi Harding, who is the heart behind it all!
I Am Not Your Negro directed by Raoul Peck
Saturday, September 12
Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House.
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King
The Dark Divide directed by Tom Putnam
Thursday, September 17
Based on the story of renowned butterfly expert Robert Pyle (David Cross) who embarked on a life-changing trek through one of America’s most important unprotected wildlands in the summer of 1995.
Cast: Debra Messing, David Cross, David Koechner
John Lewis: Good Trouble directed by Raoul Peck
Friday, September 18
The film explores the Georgia representative’s 60-plus years of social activism and legislative action on civil rights, voting rights, gun control, health care reform and immigration.
Director: Dawn Porter
Cast: Bill Clinton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Hillary Clinton and others.Proceeds from this screening go to support The Father’s Group. Please bring a backpack to the screening to donate to a student in need and support the Father’s Group’s efforts to help underserved children succeed in school.
The Father’s Group was founded to build a strong community, implement cultural change, provide educational leadership and assist families to overcome barriers. Their goal is to teach our children how to become productive citizens and a better society as a whole. Learn more at facebook.com/TheFathersGroup.
The 2020 BendFilm Pop-Up Drive-In Series is presented in collaboration with Lay It Out Events, Presenting Sponsor Director’s Mortgage, Hydroflask, Combined Communications, Garner Group, Home Systems Solutions, Peak Transportation, Sounds Fast, Subaru of Bend and Top Shelf Medicine.
Movies Outside In Tin Pan Alley
The Tin Pan Alley is just as iconic as the little boutique theater, making it a perfect spot to soak in a summer evening. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays BendFilm will continue to show movies on a pop-up screen outside in Tin Pan Alley and alley neighbors at San Simon will also be serving up their usual delicious menu to add to the experience. The Monday screening lineup is available at www.tinpantheater.com.
Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday screenings are always a surprise. Seating is limited and programming is weather-dependent. Screenings start at around 8pm and a $7 donation is suggested to help cover the cost of the film license. The series previously included screenings of Stop Making Sense and Blues Brothers.
The 2020 Outdoor Tin Pan Alley screenings are presented in collaboration with Home System Solutions. DVD and Blu Ray media for these programs are donated by Blockbuster Video Bend. (Yes, the “Last Blockbuster in the Universe!”)
The 2020 BendFilm Festival
The 17th annual BendFilm Festival will be presented in a reimagined format to engage at-home and in-person audiences with a longer viewing window and more chances to celebrate the power of independent film.
VIRTUAL+DRIVE-IN: We will showcase 115 films virtually and at drive-in screenings so everyone is bound to find a story that strikes a chord, inspires and entertains. One thing that will remain the same is BendFilm’s filmmaker-focused efforts. BendFilm will award over $12,000 in prizes directly to independent filmmakers, facilitate mentor sessions between emerging directors and established artists, honor an Indie Woman of the Year and continue the First Features Program. Additionally, BendFilm will offer $5,000 in grant money to a BIPOC womxn filmmaker. Past films screened have included Oscar-winning best picture Parasite, Oscar-winning short film The Neighbors Window as well as world premieres, and other festival favorites. Full and virtual passes are available here: bendfilm2020.eventive.org/passes/buy.
bendfilm.org • 541-388-3378
