
From Book to Film: The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Director: Stephen Chbosky Run Time: 103 min. Rating: PG-13 Release Year: 2012
Starring: Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Kate Walsh, Logan Lerman, Mae Whitman
Country: United States
Language: English
From Book to Film at Gateway Film Center
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See more From Book to FilmAbout the film:
Freshman Charlie is a perpetual wallflower until he falls under the spell of the beautiful, free-spirited Sam and her fearless stepbrother, Patrick; together, the trio navigates love, loss, fear, hope – and the quest for the perfect song – in this unforgettable adaptation of Stephen Chbosky’s beloved novel.
Published in 1999, the book has appeared eight times on the American Library Association’s annual list of the ten most-frequently-challenged books for its content, most recently in 2022. The film received a standing ovation following its world premiere at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and later won numerous accolades, including the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature.
“Chbosky’s painfully honest yet delicate portrayal of high school has solidified itself as one of the best coming-of-age films of the 2010s… Teenagers and young folk, now more than ever, could benefit from such a proud statement on how their pain is important and not something to be ignored”



About the filmmaker:
Stephen Chbosky is an American screenwriter, film director, producer, and novelist. He wrote and directed the feature adaptation of his own bestselling coming-of-age novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), for which he earned the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature, two Critics’ Choice Movie Awards nominations, and a GLAAD Media Award. He also directed and co-wrote the screenplay for the drama film Wonder (2017), adapted from the 2012 novel of the same name by R. J. Palacio. Chbosky has adapted award-winning musicals for screen. He wrote and directed Dear Evan Hansen (2021), wrote the screenplay for Rent (2005), and co-wrote the screenplay for Disney’s live action Beauty and the Beast (2017).
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