Date: Feb. 21, 2008
Contact: Carol Connelly, Director, Media & Communication Services, ext. 5267, cconnelly@pnc.edu

PNC, Libraries to Host “Into the Wild" Screenings

“Into the Wild” Screenings Friday, March 7 - 7 p.m. Schulze Hall LaPorte High School 602 F Street , LaPorte Sunday, March 16 - 2 p.m. Michigan City Public Library 100 E. Fourth Street , Michigan City Thursday, March 20 - 3 p.m. Library-Student-Faculty Building Assembly Hall Room 02 Purdue North Central 1401 S. US 421, Westville

WESTVILLE – Public showings of the film, "Into the Wild” will be offered through a collaboration between the Purdue University North Central Odyssey 2007-08 Arts and Cultural Events Series, LaPorte County Public Library, and Michigan City Public Library. The showings are free and open to the public.

The film will be shown on Friday, March 7 at 7 p.m. in LaPorte High School’s Schulze Hall; Sunday, March 16 at 2 p.m. at the Michigan City Public Library and on Thursday, March 20 at 3 p.m. at PNC in the Library-Student-Faculty Building Assembly Hall Room 02. The film is rated R for language and some nudity. Roger Ebert gave the film four stars.

This film, written and directed by Sean Penn, is based in the book by Jon Krakauer. It is based on the true story of Christopher McCandless, a 22-year-old graduate of Emory University who set out in 1990 on an adventure that would eventually take his life. McCandless took the money that had been set aside to fund his law school tuition and instead donated that money to charity prior to beginning a cross-country adventure.

Emile Hirsch stars as McCandless. The supporting cast includes a performance by Hal Holbrook that earned a nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The film also features Vince Vaughn, Catherine Keener, William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden.

McCandless encounters some of these characters as he pursues the travels that ultimately take him to the Alaskan wilderness. Ebert describes this as “as reflective, regretful, serious film about a young man swept away by his uncompromising choices.” As the film chronicles McCandless final weeks, Ebert credits Hirsch with “great acting.”

Purdue University North Central Odyssey Arts and Cultural Events Series features various events throughout the year. A complete schedule of events can be found at www.pnc.edu. For more information about this film, or any event in the Odyssey series, contact Judy Jacobi, PNC director of marketing, at 800-872-1231, ext. 5593. Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Jacobi.

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