When the lights dropped at the Ferguson Center Theater Monday night for the screening of a 2013 Sundance Film Festival hit, independent film director James Ponsoldt saw his creation come to life.
Based on a book of the same name, “The Spectacular Now” premiered in Tuscaloosa with much fanfare, as the Student Producers Association, Creative Campus and telecommunication and film department facilitated a red carpet atmosphere.
“Tom, one of our producers, had a connection here, so I heard about the screening through that. I grew up in Athens, Georgia – hope Alabama fans don’t hate me for that – and when I heard there was a screening, I got excited. I love talking to college students, particularly film and communication students, talking about movies and things,” Ponsoldt said.
The film follows the adventures of two high school students as they endure a difficult romance. Critics widely praise it as being “heartwarming” but not cliché, and the film garnered a 91 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
“I forced myself not to watch it all,” Creative Campus intern Katie Howard said. “I waited until now to watch it all the way through so I could be shocked with the rest of the audience.”
Greg Wagner, director of alumni and organizational relationship and development for the Honors College, invited Ponsoldt to host a Q&A with students and faculty immediately following the film. Wagner planned the event in collaboration with numerous student organizations.
“We’ve been planning for about a month. A group of interns got together and put together all the logistics. We wanted a ‘Crimson Carpet’ event, where students could take a photo op with the director, and we upload them to the Creative Campus Facebook page,” Creative Campus intern Danny Ryan said.
Dr. Rachel Raimist, an award-winning filmmaker and TCF professor, said she was glad to see students gain the opportunity to meet with a director in person. Dr. Kristen Warner, a TCF professor who teaches a film history class, offered extra credit to students who attended the event.
“It’s a movie for young people, and who better an audience than college students? I hope they can connect with the characters. That book really portrayed what I thought was one of the most accurate depictions of adolescence out there, and I really hope people that age can connect,” Ponsoldt said.
“The Spectacular Now” is still playing in select theaters across the country, but has not yet come to Alabama. Visit spectacularnowmovie.com for more information.
