Phillips spent five days as a hostage of Somali pirates on a lifeboat after the Maersk Alabama was hijacked. He was beaten, tied up and threatened before he was rescued days later by U.S. Navy SEALs, who shot three of the pirates.
Before the screening he said that he never felt empathy for the Somali pirates.
"That never entered my mind," Phillips said in an interview. "We were always adversaries. I thought it was important to make sure we both knew we were adversaries in that. I thought that was important for me and my survival. There was no Stockholm syndrome."
The sneak peak in Williston was a benefit for a fund created in honor of Sarah Elizabeth Ramsey, who died in June after being struck by a car in New York City. Ramsey had dated Phillips' nephew.
The fund was established by Ramsey's friends and family for third and fourth year marketing students who want to expand their professional and international experiences. The scholarship will be awarded each year. Ramsey spent a semester in Lima, Peru, during her junior year and completed an eight-week advertising internship in Shanghai, China, before graduating.
"Captain Phillips" is expected to be a major contender in Hollywood's awards season. It debuted at the New York Film Festival on Friday.
.