I love movies, and I love knitting while watching movies.
“But movie theaters are too dark to see anything!” I said, but I tried knitting anyway. However, when I stopped knitting, I had no way of knowing where I was, so it was impossible.
But then I discovered that someone was holding a knitting event at a movie theater! It was at Ritual Dyes, a yarn shop in Portland, Oregon, where amirisu's US office is located. The owner, Rachel, is an incredibly energetic woman with exceptional planning skills. She rents out a local theater for a few hours and hosts events where people can watch movies while knitting, held roughly once a month.
We wanted to do something similar, so we consulted with Reiko Ogata, who regularly hosts workshops at the Tokyo store. Since she also works in the film industry, we wondered if she might know someone. And that's how this project came to be. It will be held at Uplink Cinema in Kichijoji, Reiko's hometown.
For the first session, we decided to screen a film that everyone has seen at least once, so we chose Amelie. (We plan to continue in a similar vein going forward.)
Here's a little about my experience with movies.
Since I've had a job that involves frequent overseas business trips since I was young, I often went to the movies alone when I was abroad. Even at the same cinema, the way films are screened varies slightly by country. Some countries have intermissions like operas or concerts, while others immediately turn on the lights as soon as the main film ends, and no one stays in their seats. Among these, what I always found appealing was that, surprisingly, overseas audiences don't just sit quietly and watch the film. They laugh out loud during funny scenes, clap during well-executed scenes, or even heckle. When the movie ends with applause, there’s a sense of unity, and I think, “I’m glad I came to the movie theater.” Of course, people who talk nonsense the whole time are reprimanded.
Since we’re hosting a movie event, I want it to be a friendly gathering where everyone laughs at the funny parts, helps each other find dropped stitch markers, and assists each other if someone drops a stitch, rather than a tense screening where everyone is silent.
This time, since it's a movie-watching and knitting event, the theater won't be completely dark during the screening, but it won't be very bright either due to the structure of the theater. I recommend bringing knitting projects that don't require counting stitches, such as stockinette or garter stitch. Counting rows might also be difficult, so be sure to attach row markers. I’d like to allow the use of phone lights to check patterns or stitches, which is usually prohibited during regular screenings. After all, it might be necessary at times.
Of course, I think it’s also fine to just pretend to knit while fully enjoying the movie. I want to create a screening event where people can enjoy it in various ways!
Meri