-
The Tribeca Drive-In Series has been a unique film experience for families looking to venture outside the house this month.
For families searching far and wide for reasons to get out of their homes, the home of the Dallas Cowboys is offering up a unique film experience.
The Tribeca Drive-In series, a new event from the minds behind the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival, will be featured at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium throughout the month of July.
Showcasing the best in classic and new releases, the Drive-In series takes place July 16-19 and July 23-26 for moviegoers.
Taking advantage of the massive parking lot of the stadium, the drive-in atmosphere will be given a boost by a unique IMAX screen, utilizing exclusive “Digital Re-Mastering” technology “to enhance the image and sound” of films.
The tech-savvy stadium grounds will also feature streaming quality audio available via WiFi. Audio can be fed via Bluetooth or an Auxillary Cord to a car stereo.
“We’re excited to give people something to look forward to this summer and reinvent a classic moviegoing experience for communities to enjoy together safely,” Tribeca Enterprises and Tribeca Film Festival Co-Founder Robert De Niro said in a press release.
Safety is the “number-one” priority of the event for Tribeca, who have implemented rules regarding social distancing and face-coverings for the event.
Vehicles must be parked at least six feet apart, and will be guided to parking spots by event staff. Those getting out of their vehicles must be wearing face coverings, following a recent mandate by Governor Greg Abbott. Staff will be onhand to make sure these rules are followed, as Tribeca will “honor” Abbott’s ruling.
“Everybody’s been great so far, understanding and appreciative,” said Tribeca Chief Content Officer Paula Weinstein.
Weinstein, who has been a producer on such films as “The Perfect Storm” and “Looney Tunes: Back in Action,” says that the drive-in experience is “one of the strongest, earliest memories” she has.
“The joy of being together, with friends and family, even if you’re separated by cars… it’s a wonderful communal experience,” she said.
The Tribeca team went to work creating the event in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually settling on four locations: AT&T Stadium, The Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, as well as Orchard Beach and Nickerson Beach in New York, where the roots of the festival lie.
Putting together the Drive-In Series “felt like a natural thing,” said Weinstein, as drive-ins have been a part of Tribeca festival programming for many years.
“We are facing a pandemic, how do we act? How do we respond? How do we bring storytelling back into the community?”
One way to bring in moviegoers is with quality films, which Tribeca will have no shortage of, with four double features to choose from. The varied selection includes what Weinstein calls “big, popular, popcorn” films to enjoy.
Thursday’s feature is the Christopher Nolan classic “The Dark Knight” at 9:15 p.m., featuring Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning performance as The Joker. Friday will have a 2000s comedy theme, with showings of “Mean Girls” at 6:30 p.m. and “Superbad” at 9:30.
Saturday’s schedule features a special 2 p.m. showing of the short film “INVASION!” followed by “The Goonies,” with the night-time features being “Be Water” at 6 p.m. and “Straight Outta Compton” at 9:15. The weekend concludes with Sunday showings of “Friday Night Lights” at 6 p.m. and “Wonder Woman” at 9:30.
“Be reminded of the fun of big movies, hear people laughing from the car next door,” Weinstein said.
Films for the following weekend include “Meet The Parents,” “The Lego Movie,” “Inside Man,” and “Do the Right Thing.”
“We wanted to create an adventure for everybody who’s been in quarantine…so far it’s been great, everybody has loved it and been incredibly understanding and protective of each other,” Weinstein said.
Tickets will be $26 for one film, or $35 for a double feature, with fees included. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://tribecafilm.com/drive-in/ATT-Stadium.