AUGUSTA – Hollywood’s glitz and glamour will make a guest appearance in Portland Saturday for an advance screening of the movie “Home of the Brave.”

Featuring an all-star cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Jessica Biel, Brian Presley, Curtis Jackson, who’s better known as rapper 50 Cent, and Mainer-made-great Victoria Rowell, “Home of the Brave” tells the story of three Iraq war veterans struggling to reclaim their lives after difficult tours of duty.

Rowell, who was born in Portland, plays Jackson’s wife and was instrumental in bringing the advance screening to her hometown, said Daryl Fort, who’s helping to coordinate the event through the state’s Office of Community Development.

“She has maintained a strong connection to her home state,” Fort said. “She’s really a native daughter who’s done well.”

Rowell, who was a foster child in Maine, blossomed into a stage talent at an early age, earning a scholarship to the Cambridge School of Ballet when she was just 8 years old. She has been a professional dancer and Emmy-nominated actress, appearing on both TV and in movies.

All along, she has maintained a commitment to Maine and to other foster children. She gave the commencement address this year at the University of Southern Maine, founded the Rowell Foster Children’s Positive Plan organization and is involved with the Casey Family Services.

Proceeds from the advance screening will support the Maine National Guard Foundation Fund, Camp to Belong Maine and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Portland.

The first beneficiary was chosen because of the movie. “You’ve got the subject matter of the film, which involves the return home of servicemen who served in Iraq,” Fort said.

The other two, Fort said, were picked because of Rowell’s keen interest in helping children.

The world premiere of the film was scheduled for Tuesday night in Los Angeles. The Portland screening will be the first for the East Coast.

There will be two screenings of the movie Saturday at Nickelodeon Cinemas in Portland. Tickets for the first, which also includes a reception at the University of Southern Maine and begins at 5:30 p.m., are $65. After the movie, there will be a reception at the Abromson Community Education Center and a question-and-answer period with Rowell.

Tickets for the second showing, which begins at 8:30, are $15. The seating capacity for the theater is 226.

While an invitation has been extended to the other stars in the film, Rowell is the only one expected at the screening, Fort said.

“We’re not aware of any of them coming,” Fort said. “But you never know.”

The focus, he said, will be on Rowell. “She’s a native daughter,” Fort said.

The idea of bringing the film to Maine developed from a conversation between Rowell, state Sen. Michael Brennan of Portland and Gov. John Baldacci, Fort said. “We’ve had to put it together pretty fast.”

“It’s an opportunity to showcase the state as a place where Hollywood can do business,” Fort said. “We look at this as a way to promote the state within the industry.”

The movie is scheduled for release Dec. 15.

For ticket information, check online at www.premieremaine.org or call 780-5951. About 150 tickets were still available Tuesday afternoon.

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