Date: March 30, 2009
Contact: Carol Connelly, Director, Media & Communication Services, ext. 5267, cconnelly@pnc.edu

PNC, Libraries to Host “Slumdog Millionaire” Film Screenings

WESTVILLE – Public showings of the Academy Award-winning film " Slumdog Millionaire” will be offered through a collaboration between the Purdue University North Central Odyssey 2008-09 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 Thursday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m. in LaPorte High School 's Schulze Hall, 602 F St. , LaPorte; Sunday, April 19 at 2 p.m. at the Michigan City Public Library, 100 E. Fourth St. , Michigan City and on Wednesday, April 29 at 7 p.m. at PNC in the Library-Student-Faculty Building Assembly Hall Room 02. The film is rated R. There is some violence, disturbing images and language.

"Slumdog Millionaire” was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, more than any film of 2008, and won eight, including Best Picture and Best Director. It also won five Critic's Choice Awards and four Golden Globes. Despite these many awards, the film has sparked controversy for its depictions of Indians and Hinduism, as well as for the welfare of its child actors.

Roger Ebert describes it as “a breathless, exciting story, heartbreaking and exhilarating at the same time, about a Mumbai orphan who rises from rags to riches.”

The movie tells the story of Jamel, an orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who lives in absolute poverty. Told as flashback recollections of his youth, the audience sees homelessness, torture and prostitution. Jamel and his brother witness the murder of their mother. The children meet another orphan, Latika. The trio falls prey to a villain responsible for horrific exploitation.

His life changes when he lands on the game show, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and his ability to answer the questions makes him a national hero. But even his time as a game show contestant brings peril.

PNC Odyssey Arts and Cultural Events Series features events throughout the year. A schedule can be found at www.pnc.edu . For information about this film, or any event in the Odyssey series, contact Judy Jacobi, PNC assistant vice chancellor of Marketing and Community Relations at 219-785-5200, ext. 5593. Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Jacobi.

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