Prepare to cry. “Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine,” the award-winning documentary directed by Michele Josue, is showing at the State Theatre tonight at 7 p.m.

Matthew Shepard was the victim of a notorious anti-homosexual hate crime. He was beaten and tortured near Laramie, Wyoming and died a few days after his attack, on October 12, 1998.

The film takes a personal look at Matt’s story and how his tale, among many others, helped bring attention to hate-crime legislation, and led to the ultimate passing of the Matthew Shepard And James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.

“Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine” the story about “a son, brother, a friend lost,” represents great achievement for the LGBT community. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, plus a $1 ticketing fee, and can be purchased here. The showing is being sponsored by the Centre LGBTQA Support Network.

About the Author

Nick Weiss

Nick is a videographer at OnwardState. He is a sophomore in the College of Communications, studying as a Film & Video major. With most of his experience in documentary film, Nick continues to tell stories at Penn State. Email him [email protected]