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A Swiftie movie night: Singer’s new film screens at an Ontario drive-in theatre
photo essay

A Swiftie movie night

The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, which accompanies Swift’s latest album, is playing at movie theatres all weekend – and Swifties are bringing the glitz and glamour

Rebecca Tucker
Photography by Laura Proctor
The Globe and Mail
Swifties attend a screening celebrating the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl, at the Mustang Drive-In Theatre in Guelph, Ont., on Oct. 3.
Swifties attend a screening celebrating the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl, at the Mustang Drive-In Theatre in Guelph, Ont., on Oct. 3.
Swifties attend a screening celebrating the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl, at the Mustang Drive-In Theatre in Guelph, Ont., on Oct. 3.
Swifties attend a screening celebrating the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl, at the Mustang Drive-In Theatre in Guelph, Ont., on Oct. 3.

Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl, the pop superstar’s 12th album, has already set streaming records and shot to the top of the charts.

For Swifties, the album has been an encore performance of sorts since the singer’s world-conquering Eras Tour – not least of all because, to mark the album’s release, Swift released an accompanying film, The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, which screens at movie theatres all weekend.

On Friday night, photographer Laura Proctor visited one such screening, at the Mustang Drive-In Theatre in Guelph, Ont., to capture the glitz, glamour, and Swiftiness of it all.

The Mustang Drive-In Theatre’s sign advertises a screening celebrating the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl, in Guelph, Ont.
Quinn Ronholm, 10, waits in the queue at the Mustang Drive-In Theatre. Quinn’s family listened to the new album on the drive to the screening.
Mya Cameron, 17, plays guitar ahead of the screening. Mya is working on an album and says Taylor Swift has been a big inspiration for it. She has attended both the 1989 and Eras tours.
Brennan Quackenbush, 17, and Marisa Ruhlman, who met in the queue of cars outside the drive-in, make friendship bracelets.
From left, Rylee Ryerse, Steph Chalaturnyk, Victoria Kroezen and Kelly Howling sit in the back of a pickup truck as they wait to enter the drive-in.
Brennan Quackenbush, Mya Cameron, and their two friends claim a spot at the drive-in and wait for the screening to begin. Brennan has listened to Taylor Swift since 1989 came out, and became a 'hardcore' fan two years ago.
Goose the dog wears a Swiftie friendship bracelet as a collar.
Attendees were lined up in their cars before the box office opened, eager to claim a prime spot for the screening of The Official Release Party of a Showgirl.
Swifties in costume visit the concession stand before the start of the screening. The two employees are Swifties too, and they ducked out to watch some of the film once their sales had ended.
Marisa Ruhlman, Greg Hyland, Brady Hyland, 7, and Reed Hyland, 11, pose for a photo at the drive-in as the sun sets.
As a countdown timer to the film appeared onscreen, some attendees counted down out loud in excitement. During the film, people were rapt and quiet.

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