The University of Maine at Presque Isle will present its next Salmagundi Film Series screening on Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m. in the Auditorium in Wieden Hall. In honor of the winter season, the series will feature Eddie the Eagle, the 2016 film based on the real-life story of Olympic skier Michael “Eddie” Edwards.
The film tells the story of how Edwards persevered in his quest for Olympic glory after being cut from Britain’s 1984 Olympic ski team. He discovered a loophole: he could compete as a ski jumper for Great Britain because he would be the nation’s only representative in that event. Edwards became a television sensation who charmed the world at the 1988 Winter Olympics and became a British ski jumping record holder. The film stars Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, and Christopher Walken, and is directed by Dexter Fletcher.
The film is rated PG-13, is 106 minutes long, and has an 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. All are invited to attend this inspiring film.
Established at the start of the Fall 2018 semester, UMPI’s Salmagundi Film Series focuses on a new film each month followed by a conversation about the subject matter. The series is held on the second Tuesday of the month and was created to show a wide range of films and to provide an opportunity for people to discuss their thoughts on the film. Loosely translated, Salmagundi means “a little bit of everything” and it was the name of UMPI’s school newspaper back in 1909. Film selections for February, March and April will be announced in January.
To learn more about Eddie the Eagle, visit the official film website at https://www.foxmovies.com/movies/eddie-the-eagle. For more information about this screening, contact Gayla Shaw at 207-768-9452 or email umpi@maine.edu.