SLO theater joins protests against Trump with ‘1984’ screening

It’s not something you see every day – the line wrapped around the block for a 32 year old movie – but for many of the customers at the Palm Theatre in San Luis Obispo on Tuesday, there was a motive behind their purchase.

“It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen it and so I wanted to see how I related to it then and now in these days of fake speak and I think it’s gonna be an important message that people should hear,” says move-goer Dennis Ivans.

Some of those messages or themes in the movie include demonizing foreign enemies and manipulation of the media which some people say is happening now.

“The press is being kept from reporting what’s really going on so that I feel like a lot of the electorate is just uninformed and that’s purposeful,” says Palm Theatre customer Kat Tuculet.

Theaters across the U.S. And even five other countries chose this day for their protest of President Trump because it’s when the film’s protagonist begins his revolt against the government.

For theater owner Jim Dee, he says Donald Trump’s policies could lead to a cut in federal funding for arts programs that help keep the doors open for non-profit theaters like the Palm.

“I can see how theaters who are non-profit would be concerned about budget cuts so that’s another reason why this screening is happening and how it blew up into 200 theaters across the country and across the world,” Dee explains.

He hopes showing 1984 will create a dialog in the community. “I tend to think that a movie theater is still a neutral place so hopefully people can come from both sides of the political spectrum and come see the movie,” says Dee.

Almost all of the proceeds from this protest across the U.S. are going to non-profits.The Palm Theatre chose to donate their proceeds to the San Luis Obispo Planned Parenthood.