Beth Bredlau has always loved Godzilla. And after speaking three years in a row at G-Fest, a Godzilla festival in Chicago, Bredlau decided she wanted to bring her love for Godzilla to Bloomington.
“I wanted to do something really important, so many people I’ve talked to haven’t seen the films, don’t even know what this stuff is, and why it should be important,” Bredlau, an IU graduate student studying art history, said.
She started reaching out to community members and businesses about hosting a Godzilla festival in Bloomington, turning first to the Buskirk-Chumley theater to showcase the film festival.
Now those plans have come to fruition. Through June 27-29, Bredlau invites Hoosiers to “Godzilla Weekend.” Three films will be shown across the three-day festival. Along with showcasing the films, Upland Brewery will be sponsoring the event by selling food and drinks to patrons.
To bring more awareness to the event, Godzilla organizations like Kaiju United and G-Fest are helping Bredlau advertise the event. Deputy Mayor Gretchen Knapp will read the Godzilla Day Proclamation on the first day of the festival.
Bredlau showcases her Godzilla merchandise while promoting her festival called “Godzilla Weekend.” Bredlau contacted the mayor in early April requesting June 27 officially be declared Godzilla Day.
Bredlau wants to open up conversation about the differences in the films as they grew to a global audience over the years. She focuses on how the message of the film changes depending on who directs the film, such as how the Japanese directors of the original film tried to focus on national identity, versus how American directors created the traditional American monster story.
“I guess so much of it is dismantling this idea that all Godzilla is is a product of the Americans dropping the bomb and we don’t need to talk about it further,” Bredlau said.
The original film released back in 1954 in Japan, in which Godzilla was used as a metaphor for what the Japanese had endured after U.S. bombings on Hiroshima.
“I would say Godzilla is one of the most important and largest global franchises in the world,” Bredlau said. “Godzilla touches on all issues. War, identity, aesthetics, capitalism, you name it. Godzilla is about everything, in allegory.”
Bredlau highlights the diversity of the films and why it’s so important to the franchise. Godzilla is the villain, the friend, the savior and, at times, comic relief, Bredlau said.
Bredlau decided that the festival wasn’t enough. She then contacted the mayor in early April requesting June 27 officially declared Godzilla Day. City communications director Desiree Demolina, said in an email the mayor and her administration were excited to make it official.
“One of our administration’s values is being architects of joy, so when opportunities to celebrate something quirky and fun come our way, we’re all for adding a little play to Bloomington,” Demolina said.
Bredlau is working to partner with other Bloomington companies to make this a more widespread event.
“Good things are to come, and like I said the goal is partnerships with businesses all over town, and with the university here, and a public art project,” Bredlau said.
