The Love and Struggles of Drive-In Theaters Explored in Trailer for BACK TO THE DRIVE-IN
A trailer has been released for a new documentary film titled Back to the Drive-In, which explores the love of drive-in theaters and the struggles that they face. I’m sure you’re aware that there was a surge of dive-in movie attendance during the pandemic when the rest of the theaters were shut down and it seemed like people were loving it! But, now that movie theaters are open and thriving again, attendance at the drive-in theaters has dropped. This is what this documentary is about.
Here’s the synopsis:
When the pandemic hit, drive-ins were suddenly the only safe venue in town, with press coverage about how drive-ins are "back," and how they are thriving. But this documentary goes behind the headlines to learn the truth, spending a whole night with 11 very different drive-ins in 8 states all over the country, from preparations before the customers arrive, to selling tickets, opening the snack bar, and getting the movie on screen, we discover these family-owned businesses are actually struggling to survive. This doc is about authentic drive-ins and the resilience of the passionate people who run them, but more broadly it highlights questions about the future of the theatrical experience, and challenges of many small businesses wondering whether they will survive and make it to the other side of the pandemic.
The film comes from filmmaker April Wright (Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the American Drive-in Movie and Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace), and it looks like an interesting film. I love drive-in theaters! There just aren’t any around where I live. I would go a lot more if there were!
Back to the Drive-In opens in select US theaters starting on August 12th, 2022.