AUBURN – By the time the limousines carrying the Lewiston Youth Advisory Council pulled up to the Flagship Cinemas, the first few rows of theater five were already full.

But the entire theater was packed by the time the lights went dim and the council’s anti-underage drinking film “Smashed” premiered.

Every seat in the 218-seat theater was filled. Well-wishers, Lewiston High School students and parents were also sitting in the aisles and spilling out the doors.

“It’s just really neat to see everybody come out to support us,” said Luke Jensen, LYAC chairman and the evening’s master of ceremonies.

On its opening night, the Youth Council’s 22-minute short feature did a boffo business, even though admission was free.

Filmed in spots around Lewiston this summer, the educational piece aimed to scare young drivers away from booze.

“It’s not professional, but it’s awesome,” said Ashley Morgan, co-writer and director of the film. “We didn’t want it to be preachy, but we wanted to get our message across.”

Morgan and co-director Seth Roberts of Maddog Entertainment finished editing the film late last week.

”I think it went well, but we’ll see,” Morgan said. “We’ve been pretty nervous for a month now. We’ve had really tight deadlines.”

The film was funded with a $5,000 grant from the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety.

Highway Safety’s Carl Hallman said it was money well spent.

“Any time you can help kids impact their lives and others, its a good thing.”

The film tells the story of a high school student, Elisa, killed in a drunken-driving accident. The film uses a counseling session to refer to the crash and the events that led up to it – kids getting ready for the prom, buying alcohol and goofing off during lectures on drinking and driving.

It culminates in a traffic accident, filmed in August on Foss Road. LYAC member Jenni Golletti plays Elisa, the girl killed in the wreck. Local actors and other members of the youth council play her friends – some injured in the wreck, and others trying to cope afterward.

Council members hope the film will be used by teachers and coaches as part of the regular driver’s education curriculum. It’s part of the youth council’s “U Booze U Looze” campaign unveiled in February.

The council plans to put the video on their “U Booze U Looze” Web site, www.uboozeulooze.org, but Morgan said the group is still putting together DVD copies – complete with out-takes and other information.

They’re also working with Roy’s Driving School to make it a regular part of the student driver curriculum.