VULCAN, Alta. - When Mr. Spock lays out his logic, it's hard to argue.

Leonard Nimoy, the veteran actor who played the beloved character, was critical this week of a decision by Paramount Pictures not to award the premiere of the new "Star Trek" movie to the tiny town of Vulcan, Alta.

Nimoy said the community that shares a name with Spock's birth planet deserved to take part in the festivities.

"They deserve their day in the sun," said Nimoy, 77, in a phone interview from Los Angeles on Thursday.

Now Vulcan is being awarded a sneak peak of the new film on May 6 -- two days before the film is released to world audiences.

"The movie can't open in Vulcan. It does come down to logistics. It's just not technically feasible for it to happen," said Dayna Dickens, the town's tourism co-ordinator.

"But Paramount is putting together a special pre-screening of the event for Vulcan residents. It's going to be airing at a movie theatre in Calgary, they're providing transportation and refreshments, memorabilia for the winning Vulcans and it sounds like they are going to look at bringing in a surprise guest."

Nimoy was also thrilled with the new development and issued a statement Friday through the group at Vulcan.

"I have been informed of the logical plan that Paramount Pictures and the town of Vulcan have been working on to host an advanced screening of Star Trek," he said.

"The people of Vulcan have been heard and, although it is atypical for Vulcans, they are, in fact, excited. To all, live long and prosper."

There are 1,942 residents in the town, 120 km southeast of Calgary, and 300 will be eligible to attend.

"The private screening is going to be made available to lottery winners. We're going to set up a lottery and have people apply to get in," said Dickens.

Dickens said she had been on and off the phone with Paramount officials throughout the day Friday. She said the studio had raised the possibility of a pre-screening in the past but she credits Mr. Spock for pushing it forward.

"Leonard Nimoy's call and championing of our story resulted in Paramount's getting in touch with us, I think, much earlier than was originally planned," she said.

"I'm thrilled. I am absolutely thrilled and this relationship we've developed with Paramount and with Mr. Nimoy has far surpassed my greatest dreams."

Dickens was the driving force behind the campaign to bring the movie to Vulcan, which 20 years ago was a small farming community with its most notable characteristic being a series of towering grain elevators.

Vulcan had pulled out all the stops to try to gain the premiere or even a sneak peak of the movie event, launching a Facebook site that boasted over 1,500 members.

"This is the voyage of a small town's quest for the `Star Trek XI' movie premiere," began the video on the Facebook site with the Star Trek theme playing in the background.

"Our mission -- to showcase our Star Trek spirit, to help Hollywood showcase the new Star Trek movie and to host a spectacular event that brings Spock home to Vulcan, Alta."

Vulcan began to capitalize on its famous name 16 years ago by paying homage to Star Trek. It held its first Vul-con convention in 1993. Two years later, the town unveiled its own Star Ship FX6-1995-A to welcome visitors. A plaque includes greetings written in English, Vulcan and Klingon.

Another sign welcomes visitors with the Vulcan motto "Live Long and Prosper." There's also a space-themed visitors centre and, in an odd combination of prairie tradition and outer space zeal, there's also the annual Spock Days Rodeo.

Tourism officials say the connection drew 16,693 visitors to the town in 2008.