Chances are you've been seeing the trailers for the new Godzilla movie.
But you may not have known that movie was filmed right here in New Westminster last year - and now New West residents will get to see it for themselves.
The New Westminster Downtown Residents' Association, along with Landmark Cinemas Canada and Warner Brothers, has secured an advance screening of Godzilla for Wednesday, May 14 - two days before it's set to open worldwide.
The special giveaway-only screening is set for 7 p.m. at the Landmark Cinemas at New West station.
Kelly McCaffrey, a board member with the residents' association, said the group wanted to celebrate the impact the movie had on the city.
"Godzilla made so much money for the city, not only for the city but for the businesses around where it was filmed," she noted. "We've got to celebrate the fact that we helped make this movie."
And she added the residents want to send a message to the film industry that the people of the city enjoy their presence.
"We want to say to the film industry, 'We're cool with this. You made our street into a disaster but we're cool with this, we like this,'" she said.
Plus, she added, it's a bonus for the residents' association to get involved with something that's all about fun - since so much of their focus is on issues of concern to the community.
"We have the worry about traffic and the worry about all the buildings in our neighbourhood. I thought, we need to do something with the residents, something fun."
The screening will include some giveaways and photo ops with Godzilla (or, at any rate, with a cardboard cutout).
Complimentary tickets have been given to downtown residents' association members, and another 100 are being given away through businesses.
Social service organizations that work with the downtown - the Westcoast Genesis Society and Lookout Emergency Aid - have also been given 10 tickets apiece.
Council members will be invited, and there will also be a rush line for unclaimed tickets.
McCaffrey hopes that residents of the city will get in on the fun by playing along with ticket giveaways at downtown businesses.
Keep your eyes peeled for posters and watch the New Westminster Downtown Residents' Association on Facebook and Twitter for details.
Find them at www.facebook.com/nwdra or on Twitter, @NWDRA.
