The San Francisco Parks Alliance has announced the cancellation of its Sundown Cinema film series, which has provided free open-air movie screenings in city parks since 2003. This decision follows significant layoffs and financial struggles within the organization, with CEO Robert Ogilvie confirming a complete lack of event programming staff and the inability to cover costs estimated at $30,000-$40,000 for each screening. While Ogilvie mentioned that former partners may attempt to continue the series, uncertainties remain regarding the future of specific planned screenings, such as Wicked at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival.
"We are not going to be able to do it as it currently stands," Robert Ogilvie, the CEO of SF Parks Alliance, told KQED. "These are very difficult decisions to suspend these things that we're famous for and much loved for."
The cinema program traditionally starts in mid-May and runs through mid-October. Ogilvie confirmed the SF Parks Alliance has no remaining event or programming staff, and cannot afford to run the program, which he estimates costs $30,000-$40,000 per event to produce.
Some of the partners we worked with may be able to pick it up," Ogilvie said.
A June 7 screening of Wicked planned for the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival was initially announced, but the spokesperson for the festival said they won't know if they can stage the screening on their own until next week.
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