Pre-Memorial Day event to honor nation’s surviving POWs with movie premiere and live panel discussion with celebrity guests Loretta Swit and Ed Asner

Fayetteville, NC – April 28, 2014 – The Army’s Army, in partnership with the Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (FACVB), will host Eve of Remembrance, a 2-day event leading up to Memorial Day Weekend honoring the 92,000 Americans taken as prisoners of war (POWs) since World War I. Occurring May 20-21 in Fayetteville, the event will include a VIP dinner for surviving POWs, as well as a military world premiere of the documentary Never The Same, followed by a live Q&A session with the film’s director and actors Loretta Swit and Ed Asner. 

“The bravery and sacrifice of our country’s POWs, both past and present, deserves unmeasurable amounts of recognition and we are proud to be hosting an event in their honor to bring awareness to the emotional and physical tragedies they endured on our behalf,” commented Janine West, Executive Director of The Army’s Army. “We would like to thank those involved with the film, as well as our partners and sponsors, for participating in this moving pre-Memorial Day tribute to POWs.”

Eve of Remembrance kicks off on May 20th with an invitation-only VIP dinner for surviving POWs, celebrity guests and event sponsors at the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry Museum. The intimate dinner will bring together a number of North Carolina POWs and out-of-town veterans that served during World War II and the Vietnam War, to be recognized for their bravery and service who are traveling to Fayetteville specifically for the event.

“There are over 83,000 soldiers still unaccounted for since World War II,” commented John Meroski, President and CEO of FACVB. “As America’s First Military Sanctuary Community, we felt it was important to bring awareness to that fact and we are proud to welcome our country’s surviving POWs for this event.”

On May 21 at 7pm, three-time Emmy Award-winning director Jan Thompson along with cast members Loretta Swit and Ed Asner, will present an exclusive screening of Never The Same: The Prisoner of War Experience at the Crown Complex, located at 1960 Coliseum Drive. The all-star documentary depicts the experience of American prisoners of war in WWII Japanese camps through compelling interviews from survivors, never before seen artifacts and the personal journals, poems, drawings, songs and even recipes of ex-POWs around the country. Narrated by Swit, the film features the voices of Alec Baldwin, Ed Asner, Jamie Farr, Mike Farrell, Robert Loggia, Kathleen Turner, Robert Wagner, Christopher Franciosa, Christopher Murray, Don Murray and Sam Waterston.

“The story of the American POW has been previously examined in popular media, but only in cursory ways. No other documentary has the depth and breadth of research and access to materials as Never The Same,” commented Thompson. “We are grateful for this opportunity to participate in the Eve of Remembrance celebration and bring former POWs together in Fayetteville to pay tribute to their dedication and sacrifice.”

Following the film’s first official premiere for a military community, the cast will participate in a live panel discussion, answering audience questions and discussing their experience making the compelling documentary.

General admission for the event is $12. To reserve your tickets, please call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, or visit Ticketmaster.com, the Crown Box Office, or any Ticketmaster outlet. A limited number of complimentary tickets for POWs, active duty soldiers, veterans and military spouses are also available at the Crown Box Office. Regular box office hours are 10-6 M-F and 10-2 Saturday (Military ID required at time of purchase).

To watch a preview of Never The Same, please visit http://www.nts-pow.com/trailer.html.

For more information about Eve of Remembrance and full event details, please click here.

About The Army’s Army: 

The Army’s Army is a nationally recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization made up of citizens and businesses who have pledged their support to those in the military. We do everything we can to make soldiers, veterans and their families feel welcome, appreciated and safe. The Army’s Army is dedicated to “watching over those who watch over us^©.” For additional information, please visit www.armysarmy.com or www.brieffromthefront.com

About the FACVB:

The Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private, not-for-profit organization responsible for positioning Fort Bragg Communities of Cumberland County as a destination for conventions, sporting events and individual travel. For additional information, visit www.visitfayettevillenc.com or call 1-800-255-8217.

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