On November 14, 2007, Catholic Charities will host the Baltimore premier of LOST IN WOONSOCKET, a film about how kindness and hope can bring about miracles. Catholic Charities, Maryland’s leading private provider of services for people in need, and Baltimore native John Chester, director and executive producer of the award-winning documentary, will debut the film at 6:30 p.m., following a 5:30 p.m. reception, at the Walters Art Museum. Harold A. Smith, Executive Director of Catholic Charities, says: “LOST IN WOONSOCKET reveals how small acts of compassion can change lives. Maybe yours. In this land of riches, there is a critical need for people to get involved—even in small ways such as mentoring or volunteering to teach a class—to change the world one person at a time.”
LOST IN WOONSOCKET is a story full of hope, kindness, and the painful reality of human frailty. It chronicles a group of filmmakers from Random 1, an A&E Network television series co-created in 2005 by John Chester and Andre Miller, as they began a bold humanitarian experiment roaming around the country looking for perfect strangers who needed help. What they didn’t expect was to stumble upon a tent in the woods outside of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, containing two men who had been missing from their families for 13 years. It was a discovery with far-reaching implications that would prove to be one story for which they had no real control. The film goes way beyond what the TV series was permitted to show and explores the profound circumstances that brought this awe-inspiring journey to a surprising end.
The filmmakers are challenged to look beyond right and wrong and are forced to make decisions based upon consequences as they face once-in-a-lifetime decisions that could change lives forever.
The two men in the woods are Mark and Normand. Both are extreme addicts who have forged a strong bond of friendship. Both are about to be shocked by the power of kindness.
Up close and unflinching in its raw honesty, there are moments of pathos, humor, and grace. This beautifully shot documentary examines the rush people get from helping one another, the ceaseless struggle against addiction, and the belief that compassion still exists in modern society. According to John Chester: “You’ll never look at strangers the same way again. I also believe the film captures a simple example of how we all might take part in changing the world…through individual involvement.”
At the conclusion of the film, John Chester will conduct a brief question and answer session. Catholic Charities has arranged for a special surprise appearance by one of the film’s star subjects. Hal Smith will describe how Catholic Charities can facilitate getting involved in simple ways to help men on the long road to self sufficiency.
Tickets are $10 and are available by contacting Renee Baker at (410) 547-5329 or rbaker@cc-md.org This is an intimate screening and seating is limited. The film has received standing ovations at sold-out screenings across the country. PLEASE NOTE: LOST IN WOONSOCKET is for mature audiences and contains strong language.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Baltimore welcomes and serves people of all faiths who are in need. The agency serves over 160,000 individuals each year in addition to a providing a quarter million meals to those who are hungry. The agency website is www.cc-md.org