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I Attended An Advance Screening of Blinded By The Light. Here’s What Happened.

Written by Mariam Nouser

Photo by Warner Bros.

Sponsored by Blinded By The Light, in theatres August 16th. Watch the trailer below:

Earlier this month, a team of five SLN Creators attended and covered a private advance screening of the upcoming feature film, Blinded By The Light. Joined by a lucky group of viewers (including a handful of SLN Access winners), we spent the evening watching then discussing Gurinder Chadha’s adaptation of Sarfraz Manzoor’s fascinating book, “Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock N’ Roll.” Here’s what happened.

6:00 pm in Toronto

I showed up to the swanky Warner Bros. headquarters just after 6:00 pm and met with my fellow SLN Creators: Mikael Melo, Elizabeth Idowu, Cassandra Franco, and Alexander Cheah. We all felt a strong buzz in the air, knowing we were about to watch a movie that was earning nothing but rave reviews. In a short briefing with Stephen Sills from Student Life Network, we discussed a game-plan for interviewing attendees after the screening.

Showtime!

Then, we watched the movie. And let me tell you: it was a pure roller-coaster of emotions! I laughed, I cried, I sang, I danced. And in between I smiled from ear-to-ear. What can I say? Gurinder Chadha knocked this movie out of the park! It beautifully and authentically captured some experiences that resonated very strongly with me: the immigrant experience, culture clash, parent-child bond, the love of music, and growing up with immigrant parents.

What The Fans Had To Say

Once the credits rolled, I sat in my seat and luxuriated in the warm, fuzzy feeling that Gurinder left us with. But then I quickly remembered that as an SLN Creator, I had a job to do! I rushed out, huddled with my team, and began to interview other viewers about their experience of the film. As I expected, they too were basking the glow of what we had just experienced: a love letter to not just the music of, but rather the soul of Bruce Springsteen. And with it, a rich, relatable story of being the boss of your life.

It was heartwarming to hear how people from all walks of life connected with the themes of the film: adults, teenagers, parents, children, immigrants—you name it. Gurinder Chadha has created something truly special with this film, and it comes at a time when we could all use a little bit of love, hope, and happiness.

Go see  Blinded By The Light, in theatres August 16th.

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*Opinions expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of Student Life Network or their partners.