November 8, 1999
“Snow Falling on Cedars” has special local premiere
A special premiere showing of the film, “Snow Falling on Cedars,” adapted from the best-selling novel by local author David Guterson, will be held at 8 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Cinerama Theatre, 2100 Fourth Ave. for one showing only.
Tickets cost $25 per person. Both Guterson and the film’s director, Scott Hicks, will attend the premiere.
The premiere will benefit the University of Washington’s Creative Writing Program, of which Guterson is an alumnus.
The film is directed by Scott Hicks, who directed the Academy Award-nominated “Shine.” The cast includes Ethan Hawke (“GreatExpectations”), James Cromwell (“Babe”), Max Von Sydow (“Pelle, The Conqueror”) and Sam Shepard (“Crimes of the Heart”).
The story is set in 1954 on an island in the Pacific Northwest. It explores the topics of lost love, racial conflict, the Japanese-American internment camps, pressures of society and family, and civic responsibility. Much of the movie was filmed on location in the Pacific Northwest.
Shawn Wong, chair of the Department of English, said, “This is a marvelous opportunity to see a film that has been getting rave reviews at film festivals around the country. `Snow Falling on Cedars’ recounts the troubled history of the relationship between the Japanese-American and Anglo communities in the Pacific Northwest during World War II. It challenges us to heal a wound and right an injustice that has troubled us from that time up to the present.”
For reservations, call Cheryl Mathisen, Department of English, 543-2690. This special showing is made possible by David Guterson, Universal Studios, General Cinemas, Vulcan Northwest and Paul Allen.
“Snow Falling on Cedars” opens nationwide Jan. 7.
