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In honor of Memorial Day, the community is invited to Ely’s Historic State Theater on Sunday, May 26, at 1 p.m., to view the Director’s Cut of the 2012 film “Memorial Day” (retitled “Souvenirs”).
The movie features Ely native Mary Kay Fortier Spalding in a supporting role.
“My dad’s a veteran, and so I’m personally very grateful that our theater board brought forward this community program. With the community engagement and activities surrounding the showing and uplifting local talent involved with making this film, I’m looking forward to a significant Memorial Day weekend,” said Jacob White, director, Ely’s Historic State Theater.
The movie begins on Memorial Day 1993, when 13-year-old Kyle discovers his grandpa Bud’s wartime footlocker. Though Bud is reluctant, Kyle strikes a deal for him to tell the stories of three mementos.
Through flashbacks and flash-forwards we see parallels between Bud’s World War II experiences and adult Kyle’s Iraq War experiences, and how that special Memorial Day on Bud’s front porch shapes them both.
The film stars James Cromwell and John Cromwell as older and younger Bud, Jonathan Bennett and Jackson Bond as older and younger Kyle, and Mary Kay Fortier Spalding as Kyle’s grandma.
The film contains simulated but realistic war scenes. Service animals are welcome.
Veterans will receive free admission to the screening and its reception, provided by United Way of Northeastern Minnesota (UWNEMN) through its United for Veterans program.
“We are proud to support the Ely State Theater and its showing of Memorial Day in honor of our local heroes. We remember the brave men and women who courageously fought for our freedoms and made the ultimate sacrifice during their service in the United States military,” said UWNEMN Executive Director Erin Shay.
UWNEMN’s United for Veterans funding also helped provide accommodations for the filmmakers. General- admission tickets are $7 at the door or can be bought at www.elystatetheater.org. Regular theater concessions will be available for purchase.
“United for Veterans programming has been available to Ely area veterans and servicemembers since the beginning, and it’s exciting to see the way the program is evolving to make a deeper impact directly in Ely, first with our annual retreat and now this Memorial Day event,” said UWNEMN Community Impact Coordinator Michelle Lampton.
Local ensemble Large-Mouth Brass will welcome guests starting at 12:30 p.m., and a brief patriotic program will introduce the film at 1 p.m.
A panel discussion with three of the filmmakers, Fortier-Spalding and a local veteran will conclude the program in the State.
A reception in the theater lobby will include tie-ins to the film: patriotic art by students of Ely Community Resource, a Northwoods Partners table with resources on dementia and a display of military memorabilia sponsored by the Ely-Winton Historical Society.
Worn US flags will also be collected for proper, respectful retirement.
A follow up showing will take place at 7 p.m. on May 26, but will not include the supplemental community programming.
UWNEMN is located in Chisholm and both supports nonprofits and operates its own direct service programs in communities across the Iron Range, Koochiching County and Lake of the Woods County, including United for Veterans.
United for Veterans is steered by a committee of local veterans working to fill gaps in local veterans’ services.
Programming to-date includes: • Crisis funding
• Military Connections Guides
• Holiday meal kits delivered to veterans in need
• Support for the Iron Range transitional home operated by MACV
• Free connections activities • Free retreats (coming this January 17-19 to Grand Ely Lodge)
• New Operation: Soldier Story oral history project
• Support of regional veterans’ initiatives like the screening of Memorial Day To learn more about United for Veterans, visit www. unitedwaynemn.org/united- veterans
