AS if it were extra lessons, scores of specially invited Corporate Area students poured into the Carib 5 cinema in Cross Roads, St Andrew, on Thursday evening for a special screening of Hidden Figures.

The occasion was co-hosted by Portia Simpson Miller, leader of Opposition and former prime minister, and Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals/ATL Group. Government ministers, corporate executives and teachers were also among the guests.

Stewart explained how he got involved in the project.

“This movie is all about gender and race equality and the three women who were behind NASA space shuttle missions. So we got a phone call from Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller, who has a deep belief and strength of women in the workplace. Over the years we’ve had numerous conversations with her and regarding our group, and the fact that our group not only has so many women in leadership positions but almost 70 per cent of our workforce globally are women. So the invitation came on the accord that we are very like-minded in the reference of what this movie represents,” Stewart told the Jamaica Observer.

Simpson Miller, Jamaica’s first female prime minister, thanked Stewart for co-hosting the viewing and said she hoped to inspire the audience.

“In light of the challenges faced by our young women, I wanted to share this movie with you… I hope it will inspire you to dream big, to shut out distractions and face obstacles head on. With ambition, hard work and perseverance you can achieve the extraordinary,” she said.

Directed by Theodore Melfi, Hidden Figures tells the story of Katherine G Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson — brilliant African-American women working at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The trio served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanised the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big.

So far the film has grossed US$115 million worldwide. It has been nominated for numerous awards, including three Oscars — Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Octavia Spencer.