The show did go on in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights on Friday night with the opening of the 17th annual Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema Film Festival.
The festival is usually held in Precita Park, or another small open space in Bernal Heights where people can lay out blankets and watch local films under the stars, but, not in 2020.
“We decided to create a pop-up drive-in here in the heart of Bernal Heights at the Alemany Market Place,” Leslie Lombre, director of exhibitions for Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema, told KCBS Radio.
“It is pretty special and the audience is equally as special,” she said. “Over the years we’ve done it in little mini parks and non-traditional spaces—on Cortland Avenue, the commercial corridor—and there’s something that really comes out on those evenings in terms of that village and sense of community.”
Austin and his wife Nicole Leonard had quite the setup in their Mercedes Mini Crossover.
Austin and Nicole cozy up for the 17th annual Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema Festival, which has transformed into a drive-in during the pandemic.Megan Goldsby / KCBS Radio
“We’ve put the seats down in the back seat, we’ve got the hatch open, we’ve got a couple of pillows, blankets and we’re stretched out, having fun, laid back,” Austin said, pointing to the pasta and salad they brought. “We’re ready for the drive in.”
He applauded the organizers creativity to carry on at a time when film festivals everywhere are either being canceled or going online-only.
“The only thing that’s not great is that they put on sale today for next week and it sold out in exactly three minutes,” Austin said.
If you didn’t make the cut, the festival does go online for it’s closing weekend.
