ACADEMY ANNOUNCES KEY DATES FOR THE OSCARS®

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the ABC Television Network today announced the dates for the 87th Oscars.  The Academy Awards® presentation will air live on ABC on Oscar® Sunday, February 22, 2015.

Key dates for the Awards season are:
Saturday, November 8, 2014 The Governors Awards
Wednesday, December 3, 2014 Official Screen Credits and music submissions due
Monday, December 29, 2014 Nominations voting begins 8 a.m. PT
Thursday, January 8, 2015 Nominations voting ends 5 p.m. PT
Thursday, January 15, 2015 Oscar nominations announced
Monday, February 2, 2015 Oscar Nominees Luncheon
Friday, February 6, 2015 Final voting begins 8 a.m. PT
Saturday, February 7, 2015 Scientific and Technical Awards
Tuesday, February 17, 2015 Final voting ends 5 p.m. PT
Oscar Sunday, February 22, 2015 87th Academy Awards begins 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT

The Oscars will be held at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

ACADEMY COLOR PREDICTOR LAUNCHES ON iTUNES

First App Created for General Public by Academy's Sci-Tech Council

Beverly Hills, CA –The Academy Color Predictor, the first app created for the general public by the Science and Technology Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is now available on iTunes. The free app for iPad iOS 7 will be highlighted at the 2014 NAB Show in Las Vegas this week.

Created by the Sci-Tech Council’s Solid State Lighting Project Committee, the app helps filmmakers predict the interaction of the key ingredients in cinematography: the lights, camera, filters and the photographed objects themselves. Users can change key source light, image sensor and filter parameters to instantly visualize color rendering differences and compare different combinations of elements.

“This app emerged from our conversations with cinematographers, production designers, costume designers and set decorators who were struggling to predict color reproduction when switching from traditional incandescent light sources to solid state lighting,” said Andy Maltz, Managing Director of the Academy’s Science and Technology Council. “After a successful beta test, we’re now offering this app free, for general consumption, so that all types of content creators, researchers and students can benefit from our research.”

“We’re delighted to once again make available the Academy’s research to the film community and the general public,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “This app helps address a specific production need for filmmakers and underlines our commitment to driving technological advances that benefit both the motion picture industry and aspiring filmmakers everywhere.”

SOURCE The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

15 DOCUMENTARY FEATURES ADVANCE IN 2013 OSCAR® RACE

UPDATE: The "IN" Show had the immense pleasure of being in attendance at a special screening of "The Square" held by TCDM & Associates. Jehane Noujaim's documentary follows a group of Egyptian revolutaries as they battle regimes, risk their lives, and strive to build an Egyptian society that represents all they hold dear. "The Square" is poignant, daunting, intense filmmaking and must be seen by all! After the screening, a Q&A was held, here it is for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 15 films in the Documentary Feature category will advance in the voting process for the 86th Oscars® . One hundred forty-seven films had originally qualified in the category.

The 15 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies:

   "The Act of Killing," Final Cut for Real
    "The Armstrong Lie," The Kennedy/Marshall Company
    "Blackfish," Our Turn Productions
    "The Crash Reel," KP Rides Again
    "Cutie and the Boxer," Ex Lion Tamer and Cine Mosaic
   "Dirty Wars," Civic Bakery
    "First Cousin Once Removed," Experiments in Time, Light & Motion
    "God Loves Uganda," Full Credit Productions
    "Life According to Sam," Fine Films
    "Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer," Roast Beef Productions
    "The Square," Noujaim Films and Maktube Productions
    "Stories We Tell," National Film Board of Canada
    "Tim’s Vermeer," High Delft Pictures
    "20 Feet from Stardom," Gil Friesen Productions and Tremolo Productions
   "Which Way Is the Front Line from Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington," Tripoli Street

The Academy’s Documentary Branch determined the shortlist in a preliminary round of voting.  Documentary Branch members will now select the five nominees from among the 15 titles.

The Oscars nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 16, 2014, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards® for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

SOURCE The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

10 Animated Shorts Advance in 2013 Oscar® Race

BEVERLY HILLS, CA —The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 10 animated short films will advance in the voting process for the 86th Academy Awards®. Fifty-six pictures had originally qualified in the category.

The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies:

“Feral,” Daniel Sousa, director, and Dan Golden, music and sound design (Daniel Sousa)

“Get a Horse!” Lauren MacMullan, director, and Dorothy McKim, producer (Walt Disney Feature Animation)

“Gloria Victoria,” Theodore Ushev, director (National Film Board of Canada)

“Hollow Land,” Uri Kranot and Michelle Kranot, directors (Dansk Tegnefilm, Les Films de l’Arlequin and the National Film Board of Canada)

“The Missing Scarf,” Eoin Duffy, director, and Jamie Hogan, producer (Belly Creative Inc.)

“Mr. Hublot,” Laurent Witz, director, and Alexandre Espigares, co-director (Zeilt Productions) | scroll to bottom |

“Possessions,” Shuhei Morita, director (Sunrise Inc.) | info only |

“Requiem for Romance,” Jonathan Ng, director (Kungfu Romance Productions Inc.)

“Room on the Broom,” Max Lang and Jan Lachauer, directors (Magic Light Pictures)

“Subconscious Password,” Chris Landreth, director (National Film Board of Canada with the participation of Seneca College Animation Arts Centre and Copperheart Entertainment)

The Academy’s Short Films and Feature Animation Branch Reviewing Committee viewed all the eligible entries for the preliminary round of voting at screenings held in New York and Los Angeles.

Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members will now select three to five nominees from among the 10 titles on the shortlist. Branch screenings will be held in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in December.

The 86th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 16, 2014, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Paula Wagner to Produce 2013 Governors Awards

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Paula Wagner will produce the 5th Annual Governors Awards for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced today.  The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and three Honorary Awards will be presented to Angelina Jolie, Angela Lansbury, Steve Martin and Piero Tosi, respectively, on Saturday, November 16, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center®.

“Paula’s expertise, coupled with her love for film, makes her the ideal person to produce this special event,” said Boone Isaacs.  “She is certain to deliver an exciting and memorable evening for our honorees and guests.”

“It is a privilege to work with the Academy to produce this year’s Governors Awards, honoring iconic talents who have deeply influenced our contemporary culture with their artistry,” said Wagner.  “I look forward to being a part of an event that illuminates and supports these artists’ incredible achievements.”

Wagner has produced or executive-produced more than 20 feature films, including the first three “Mission: Impossible” films, “Vanilla Sky,” “The Others” and “The Last Samurai,” as well as the television film “Five” and three Broadway plays (The Heiress, which received two Tony® nominations, Grace and the recently announced Mothers and Sons).

After beginning her career as an actress and then becoming a top-ranking talent agent at CAA, she went on to co-found Cruise/Wagner Productions and serve as CEO for United Artists.  She now continues to independently produce film and theater through her company Chestnut Ridge Productions.  Wagner is an adjunct professor at her alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University, and also lectures at universities around the nation.  Wagner is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Producers Guild of America and The Broadway League.

She also sits on the boards of the PGA, the Film Forum, American Cinematheque and the National Film Preservation Foundation.

SOURCE The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

The Academy Slings "SHANE" From Coast To Coast

Directors Woody Allen and James Mangold to introduce 60th Anniversary Screenings in New York and Los Angeles

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the classic Western “Shane” with a screening of a new digital restoration from Paramount Pictures on Monday, September 16, at the Academy Theater in New York City, with a special video message by director Woody Allen; and on Monday, October 7, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, with an in-person introduction by director James Mangold.
 
For New York, click here.

For Los Angeles, click here.

THE ACADEMY EXPLORES THE TECHNOLOGY OF STUNTS WITH "REAL TO REEL: THE ART OF ACTION"

Hosted by stunt coordinator Garrett Warren
 

With panelists writer-director Shane Black ("Iron Man 3"), stunt coordinator Jeff Habberstad ("Iron Man 3"), visual effects supervisor Erik Nash ("Iron Man 3," "Real Steel"), animatronic supervisor John Rosengrant ("Real Steel"), editor Zach Staenberg ("The Matrix") and visual effects supervisor Christopher Townsend ("Iron Man 3")

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will explore how stunt artists utilize emerging technologies to bring previously impossible stunts to the screen in “Real to Reel: The Art of Action” on Friday, September 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Hosted by stunt coordinator Garrett Warren, the evening will include clips from such films as “Iron Man 3,” “Skyfall” and “Real Steel,” live demonstrations, behind-the-scenes footage, and onstage conversations with some of the films’ creative teams. Scheduled panelists include writer-director Shane Black, stunt coordinator Jeff Habberstad, visual effects supervisors Erik Nash and Christopher Townsend, animatronic supervisor John Rosengrant, and film editor Zach Staenberg.

Click here for more information.

SOURCE The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

¡VIVA FIGUEROA!: THE ACADEMY TO HONOR ICONIC MEXICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER GABRIEL FIGUEROA

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Writer-director Gregory Nava, actor Gael García Bernal, cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto and Gabriel Figueroa Flores will celebrate the life and career of the renowned Mexican cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa on Tuesday, September 17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The evening will feature an onstage discussion and excerpts from many of Figueroa’s greatest cinematic achievements. The program serves as a prelude to the exhibition “Under the Mexican Sky: Gabriel Figueroa – Art and Film,” co-presented by the Academy and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, which will open at LACMA later this month.

 

Figueroa (1907–1997) is often referred to as “The Fourth Muralist” of Mexico, and his seminal work contributed to the establishment of a visual culture and national identity in post-revolutionary Mexico. His films include such Mexican classics as “María Candelaria,” “Enamorada,” “La perla” and “Víctimas del pecado,” which stand alongside works for such diverse directors as John Ford (“The Fugitive”), Luis Buñuel (“Los olvidados”), Don Siegel (“Two Mules for Sister Sara”) and John Huston (“The Night of the Iguana”). Figueroa’s dazzling black-and-white cinematography for the latter film earned him an Oscar® nomination in 1964.

 

Tickets for “An Academy Tribute to Gabriel Figueroa” are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased online at www.oscars.org or by mail. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Ticketed seating is unreserved. For more information and guest updates, call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.

 

The exhibition “Under the Mexican Sky: Gabriel Figueroa – Art and Film” will open on Sunday, September 22, at LACMA’s Art of the Americas building. The exhibition examines Figueroa’s prolific career through film clips, paintings, photographs, prints, drawings, posters and archival documents. It also includes a range of works by contemporary artists and filmmakers that reflect on Figueroa’s legacy. For more information, visit www.lacma.org.

LACMA AND THE ACADEMY CO-PRESENT A MAJOR U.S. EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTING THE PROLIFIC CAREER OF MEXICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER GABRIEL FIGUEROA

EXHIBITION: Under the Mexican Sky: Gabriel Figueroa—Art and Film

ON VIEW:      September 22, 2013– February 2, 2014

LOCATION:    Art of the Americas Building

TELEVISA FOUNDATION'S GABRIEL FIGUEROA PROJECT

PRESENTED IN THE U.S. FOR THE FIRST TIME

(Los Angeles-August 29, 2013) The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (The Academy) are pleased to present Under the Mexican Sky: Gabriel Figueroa—Art and Film. The exhibition celebrates the achievements and legacy of Mexican cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa (1907-1997), a profoundly influential figure who built an enduring image of Mexico through his visual style.

Recognized as one of the most important cinematographers of the twentieth century, Figueroa collaborated with a vibrant community of international painters, photographers, and printmakers—including Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and Manuel Álvarez Bravo—as well as leading directors such as Emilio Fernández, John Ford, Luis Buñuel, and John Huston.

Deemed “the fourth muralist” by Diego Rivera, Figueroa forged a vision of Mexican identity and culture that resonated powerfully with Mexican and international audiences. Under the Mexican Sky features approximately 300 objects, including film sequences, paintings, photographs, prints, drawings, posters, and archival documents. Additional film, video, and photographic works by contemporary artists (including Rodrigo García, Melanie Smith and Rafael Ortega, Gonzalo Lebrija, and Juan Capistran and Mario Ybarra Jr.) reflect on Figueroa’s legacy.

Under the Mexican Sky is organized by the Televisa Foundation and is co-presented by LACMA and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (The Academy). The Televisa Foundation oversees the Gabriel Figueroa archive and many elements of the exhibition are drawn from this comprehensive collection. Curated by Alfonso Morales, Curator of Televisa Foundation, the exhibition has traveled extensively throughout Mexico and France.

“Gabriel Figueroa was a key participant in Mexico’s cinematic, artistic, and literary circles throughout his long career. Under the Mexican Sky is the first time the Televisa Foundation’s Figueroa project will be presented in the United States.” comments Alfonso Morales.

"Under the Mexican Sky is a perfect example of how LACMA, an encyclopedic museum with an international scope, approaches the intersection of art and film," said Michael Govan, LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director. "Gabriel Figueroa had a tremendous impact on the visual culture of Mexico. We are pleased to co-present this exhibition with The Academy and are grateful to the Televisa Foundation for their support."

“We are delighted to once again partner with LACMA in shining the spotlight on the life and career of a visionary filmmaker,” said Dawn Hudson, Academy CEO.  “This exhibition invites visitors to discover Figueroa’s iconic works as well as his influence on global cinema.  It also provides a glimpse of what’s to come in 2017 when we open the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures next to the LACMA campus.”

At LACMA, the exhibition is co-curated by Britt Salvesen, Curator of the Wallis Annenberg Photography Department and the Prints and Drawings Department, and Rita Gonzalez, Associate Curator of Contemporary Art, and will incorporate more works of art and an accompanying film series.

“Gabriel Figueroa’s cinematic work contributed to the construction of Mexican visual identity and is an important part of film and art history,” said Rita Gonzalez, exhibition co-curator. Britt Salvesen adds,  “Figueroa’s portrayal of pivotal cultural subjects, ranging from Mexican revolutionary soldiers to landscape motifs, created a visual lexicon for Mexico that has influenced today’s generation of artists and filmmakers.”
As an exhibition focusing on the art of cinematography, Under the Mexican Sky emphasizes the collaborative nature of movie-making and examines how a filmic vision intersects with other artistic media.

About the artist
Gabriel Figueroa’s prolific career in cinema spanned more than fifty years  during which time he worked as a studio portrait photographer, photojournalist, still photographer, lighting artist, camera operator, and cinematographer. His body of work exhibits his technical skill, careful handling of composition and lighting, and affinity for the aesthetics of artists. Distinguished directors such as John Ford, Luis Buñuel, and John Huston sought Figueroa to work with them, and many of his films were recognized at the premier international film festivals.

In total, Figueroa’s filmography consists of more than 200 films, including María Candelaria (1943), which won a prize for cinematography at the Cannes Film Festival; Macario (1960), the first Mexican film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Film in a Foreign Language; The Night of the Iguana (1964), which garnered an Academy Award nomination for best cinematography; Two Mules for Sister Sara (1969); Kelly’s Heroes (1969); and Under the Volcano (1983). Gabriel Figueroa’s achievements were recognized by colleagues in both Mexico and the United States: he was nominated to be an active member of The Academy in 1968; became president of the Academia Mexicana de Ciencias Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas de México in 1972; and received a lifetime achievement award from the American Society of Cinematographers in 1995. Figueroa died in Mexico City in 1997 at the age of 90.

ACADEMY CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF THE TELLURIDE FILM FESTIVAL

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is continuing its sponsorship of the Telluride Film Festival with a series of special events including an exhibition highlighting the history of the festival at the Historic Sheridan Opera House.  Telluride, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, runs August 29 through September 2.

“The Telluride Film Festival is a showcase for great films and filmmakers, and over its 40 years has figured prominently in the careers of many Academy members,” said Dawn Hudson, Academy CEO.  “We are excited to celebrate this milestone by preserving the Festival’s history and its far-reaching cultural influence.”

Telluride Film Festival recently donated all media and ephemera related to the Festival to the Academy for preservation and to avail future generations of its important place in film history.

“The Academy Celebrates the Show” is an installation featuring photographs, documents, video footage and other treasures from the Academy’s newly acquired Telluride Film Festival Special Collection.  A companion exhibit, “Alternate Telluride,” at the Backlot, will showcase a selection of letters from notable filmmakers who – for one reason or another – could not attend, making for a fascinating glimpse into Tellurides that might have been.

The Academy, which has been supporting the Festival for eleven years, is sponsoring the Festival’s signature Noon Seminars series and will also present the following special programs from its collections:

• A retrospective exhibition featuring 40 years of the Telluride Film Festival
• Clips depicting iconic filmmakers from the Academy’s Telluride Film Festival Special Collection will screen in advance of each festival film program
• Special screenings of Satyajit Ray’s “Mahanagar” (1963) and the 1948 short “Muscle Beach,” both preserved by the Academy Film Archive
• Photographic exhibit at the new Werner Herzog Theater includes photographs of Werner Herzog from the Academy’s collection.

“Telluride Film Festival has chosen the Academy as the guardian of its treasured collection so that these important media assets can serve future generations, education and research,” commented festival executive director, Julie Huntsinger.  “This special exhibition that AMPAS has curated is a wonderful glimpse into the Festival’s past 40 years. We are proud of our long-standing relationship and thank them for their enthusiasm in celebrating this exceptional year and for their generous and continued support.”

14 SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENTS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR 2013 ACADEMY AWARDS®

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Scientific and Technical Awards Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that 14 scientific and technical achievements have been selected for further awards consideration.

The list is made public to allow individuals and companies with similar devices or claims of prior art the opportunity to submit achievements for review.

The deadline to submit additional entries is Tuesday, August 27, at 11:59 p.m. PT.

The committee has selected the following technologies for further consideration:

Neutral density filters that remove infrared contamination.
•Prompted by the submission of the Infrared Neutral Density (IR ND) Filter Technology (Tiffen Co.)

Untethered HD video assist devices.
•Prompted by the submission of Meridian (Boxx TV Ltd.)

Software tools for accelerated simulation and rendering of smoke, fire and explosions.
•Prompted by the submission of Plume (ILM) and Flux (DreamWorks Animation)

Physically based shading and lighting techniques for digital rendering.
•Prompted by the submission Efficient Physically Inspired Shading (Pixar Animation Studios)

Software tools for integrated sculpting and painting of digital models.
•Prompted by the submission of Mudbox (Autodesk) and ZBrush (Pixologic)

Pre-computation techniques for visibility and lighting in rendering applications.
•Prompted by the submission of Weta’s Spherical Harmonics Lighting (Weta Digital)

Compositing systems using per-pixel “deep” depth information.
•Prompted by the submission of Deep Compositing (Weta Digital)

Software frameworks for integrated and extensible VFX and animation applications.
•Prompted by the submission of Zeno (ILM)

Integrated software tools for performance capture, visualization and manipulation.
•Prompted by the submission of MotionBuilder (Autodesk)

Non-explosive car flipping devices.
•Prompted by the submission of the Pneumatic Car Flipper (Fxperts, Inc.)

Helicopter-based camera motion-control platforms.
•Prompted by the submission of Flying-Cam 3.0 SARAH (Flying-Cam)

Digital workflow specifications for managing color.
•Prompted by the submission of ASC CDL (D-Cinema Consulting)

After thorough investigations are conducted in each of the technology categories, the committee will meet in early December to vote on recommendations to the Academy’s Board of Governors, which will make the final awards decisions.

The 2013 Scientific and Technical Awards will be presented on Saturday, February 15, 2014.

Claims of prior art or similar technology must be submitted on the Academy’s website at www.oscars.org/awards/scitech/apply.html.  For further information, contact the Awards Administration Office at (310) 247-3000, ext. 1131, or via e-mail at scitech@oscars.org.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network.  The presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

THE ACADEMY CELEBRATES SATYAJIT RAY RESTORATIONS WITH SCREENING OF THE APU TRILOGY

19 FILMS PRESERVED BY THE ACADEMY FILM ARCHIVE TO BE PRESENTED IN LOS ANGELES, LONDON AND VIENNA

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in celebration of the restoration of 19 Satyajit Ray films by the Academy Film Archive, will present new prints of the prolific filmmaker’s renowned early work known as The Apu Trilogy.  The two-evening screening series kicks off with a double feature of 1955’s “Pather Panchali (Song of the Little Road)” and 1956’s “Aparajito (The Unvanquished)” on Friday, September 6, at 7 p.m., and concludes with 1959’s “Apur Sansar (The World of Apu)” on Monday, September 9, at 7:30 p.m., at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Special guests for Monday’s program include actress Sharmila Tagore, who made her film debut in “Apur Sansar,” and Dilip Basu, founding director of the Satyajit Ray Film and Study Center Collection at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The Academy has also partnered with the British Film Institute (BFI), the American Cinematheque and the Austrian Film Museum to screen prints from the Academy Film Archive’s collection.

In London, the BFI Southbank will present “Satyajit Ray” from August 14 through October 5.

More on the BFI Southbank series
In Los Angeles, the American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre, in partnership with the Academy, will present “Unlocking the Golden Fortress: Satyajit Ray Restored,” from September 12 through October 21, featuring all 19 of the Ray films that the Academy Film Archive has restored to date.

More on the American Cinematheque screenings
In Vienna, the Austrian Film Museum will present “Satyajit Ray: Early Works” from December 4 through January 8, 2014.

More on the Austrian Film Museum
More than 100 screenings will take place between the Academy’s screenings and its partners’ during the months-long celebration.

In 1992, after a career spanning more than three decades, Ray received an Honorary Award (an Oscar® statuette) from the Academy “in recognition of his rare mastery of the art of motion pictures, and of his profound humanitarian outlook, which has had an indelible influence on filmmakers and audiences throughout the world.”

The Apu Trilogy was restored by the Satyajit Ray Preservation Project through a collaboration of the Academy Film Archive, the Merchant and Ivory Foundation, and The Film Foundation.

Tickets for each evening of The Apu Trilogy are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased online at www.oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office or by mail. Doors open one hour before each screening. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Ticketed seating is unreserved. For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.

THE ACADEMY CREATES BRANCH FOR CASTING DIRECTORS

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced the creation of the Casting Directors Branch.

Casting directors began to be invited to Academy membership more than 30 years ago, many of them admitted as Members-at-Large.

The decision was approved at the regularly scheduled board meeting on Tuesday, July 30.

"Casting directors play an essential role in the filmmaking process," Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said. "Their inclusion on our board will only broaden our perspective and help ensure that the Academy continues to accurately reflect the state of filmmaking today."

The Casting Directors Branch brings the Academy to 17 branches, with three members representing each branch on the Board of Governors. The Academy will hold special elections this fall to select the three governors of the newest branch.

Check out this audio of the stellar "CASTING BY" panel

which discussed the role Casting Directors play.

JASON REITMAN TO HOST LIVE COMMENTARY OF "THE PRINCESS BRIDE" AT THE ACADEMY

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Jason Reitman will be joined onstage by director Rob Reiner and actor Cary Elwes for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ first live commentary event, featuring a screening of the 1987 favorite "The Princess Bride," on Thursday, August 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.  The format, a live version of commentaries typically included on DVDs and other recorded media, opens the door to illuminating anecdotes, behind-the-scenes details and filmmaker insights in real time.

Adapted by William Goldman from his 1973 novel, "The Princess Bride" is an unforgettable tale of love and adventure told by a kindly grandfather to his ill grandson.  Featuring swordplay, an evil prince, a giant and a beautiful princess, the film showcases an ensemble cast including Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shawn, Carol Kane and Billy Crystal.  It earned an Oscar nomination for the original song "Storybook Love," written and composed by Willy DeVille.

The Academy Film Archive created the print, courtesy of 20th Century Fox, as part of Project Film-to-Film, an initiative that accelerates the Archive’s efforts to acquire and create new film masters and prints from at-risk elements.

Tickets for "The Princess Bride" Live Commentary are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID, and may be purchased starting August 1 online at www.oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office or by mail.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m.  The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.  Ticketed seating is unreserved.  For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.

THE ACADEMY ANNOUNCES MAJOR ANIMATION GIFT FROM ABE LEVITOW FAMILY

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces the gift of the Abe and Charlotte Levitow Collection featuring animation art and related production materials documenting the career of animator Abe Levitow. Donated in their parents' honor by the Levitows' three children, Roberta, Judy and Jon, the collection features animation cels, backgrounds, storyboards, graphic art materials and related film prints – hundreds of items that represent Levitow's accomplishments as an artist, animator and director for Warner Bros., UPA and MGM, and include his work on features such as "Gay Purr-ee" (1962) and "The Phantom Tollbooth" (1970).

The collection, which will be housed in both the Academy's Margaret Herrick Library and the Academy Film Archive, is a significant addition to the Academy's holdings in the animation field. "We are honored that the Levitow family has entrusted the preservation of their father's legacy to the Academy's archivists," said Margaret Herrick Library Director Linda Mehr, "and you really can't go wrong when Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck are in the mix, can you?"

Levitow began his career at Leon Schlesinger Productions, where he served as a publicity artist and animator on cartoons released through Warner Bros. He worked primarily as a member of the Chuck Jones unit, contributing to many of Jones's films in the late 1940s and early 1950s, including the Academy Award®-winning animated short "For Scent-imental Reasons" (1949). He was elevated to director on several Warner Bros. cartoons before moving on to UPA in the late 1950s, where he served as animation director on the studio's first feature, "1001 Arabian Nights."

At UPA, Levitow had two career directing milestones: first, on the animated feature "Gay Purr-ee," featuring the voices of Judy Garland and Robert Goulet with original songs by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, and then with "Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol," an animated musical version of the Charles Dickens tale. Following his stint at UPA, Levitow joined the animation unit at MGM, where he directed a number of the later Tom and Jerry cartoons, including "The A-Tom-inable Snowman" (1966), "Guided Mouse-ille" (1967) and "Rock 'n' Rodent" (1967).

In addition to the more than 500 pieces of original production art, which will join more than 15,000 such items already held by the Margaret Herrick Library, the Levitow Collection includes scripts, sound recordings and other documentation related to Levitow's work in film, television and commercials. All of the production materials may be accessed by filmmakers, historians, journalists, students and the public at the library, located in the Academy's Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study in Beverly Hills.

Many of the pieces in the Levitow Collection are available for viewing online through the Library's Production Art Database at http://collections.oscars.org/prodart. Additional information about Abe Levitow is also available at: www.abelevitow.com.

For more information about Academy's holdings, visit www.oscars.org.

ACADEMY INVITES 276 TO MEMBERSHIP

 

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 276 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy's membership in 2013.

"These individuals are among the best filmmakers working in the industry today," said Academy President Hawk Koch. "Their talent and creativity have captured the imagination of audiences worldwide, and I am proud to welcome each of them to the Academy."

The 2013 invitees are:

Actors
Jason Bateman – "Up in the Air," "Juno"
Miriam Colon – "City of Hope," "Scarface"
Rosario Dawson – "Rent," "Frank Miller's Sin City"
Kimberly Elise – "For Colored Girls," "Beloved"
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – "Lincoln," "The Dark Knight Rises"
Charles Grodin – "Midnight Run," "The Heartbreak Kid"
Rebecca Hall – "Iron Man 3," "The Town"
Lance Henriksen – "Aliens," "The Terminator"
Jack Huston – "Not Fade Away," "Factory Girl"
Milla Jovovich – "Resident Evil," "Chaplin"
Lucy Liu – "Kill Bill: Vol. 1," "Chicago"
Jennifer Lopez – "What to Expect When You're Expecting," "Selena"
Alma Martinez – "Born in East L.A.," "Under Fire"
Emily Mortimer – "Hugo," "Lars and the Real Girl"
Sandra Oh – "Rabbit Hole," "Sideways"
Paula Patton – "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol," "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Michael Peña – "End of Watch," "Crash"
Emmanuelle Riva – "Amour," "Hiroshima, Mon Amour"
Jason Schwartzman – "Moonrise Kingdom," "Rushmore"
Geno Silva – "Mulholland Drive," "Amistad"
Danny Trejo – "Machete," "Heat"
Chris Tucker – "Silver Linings Playbook," "Rush Hour"

Cinematographers
Luca Bigazzi – "This Must Be the Place," "Certified Copy"
Benoît Delhomme – "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas," "The Proposition"
Simon Duggan – "The Great Gatsby," "Killer Elite"
Greig Fraser – "Zero Dark Thirty," "Snow White and the Huntsman"
Jonathan Freeman – "Remember Me," "Fifty Dead Men Walking"
Greg Gardiner – "Race to Witch Mountain," "Elf"
Eric Gautier – "Into the Wild," "The Motorcycle Diaries"
Agnès Godard – "Sister," "Beau Travail"
Eduard Grau – "Buried," "A Single Man"
Jess Hall – "The Spectacular Now," "Brideshead Revisited"
Fred Kelemen – "The Turin Horse," "The Man from London"
Mark Lee Ping Bing – "Norwegian Wood," "In the Mood for Love"
Reed Morano – "Little Birds," "Frozen River"
Oleg Mutu – "Beyond the Hills," "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days"
Alex Nepomniaschy – "Narc," "Safe"
Christian Sebaldt – "Resident Evil: Apocalypse," "Race to Space"
Ben Seresin – "World War Z," "Unstoppable"
Adam Stone – "Mud," "Take Shelter"
Checco Varese – "Girl in Progress," "The Aura"
Ken Zunder – "Bending the Rules," "That's What I Am"

Costume Designers
Paco Delgado – "Les Misérables," "Biutiful"
Sophie de Rakoff – "This Means War," "Legally Blonde"
Carlo Poggioli – "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," "Cold Mountain"

Designers
Lori Balton – "Argo," "The Dark Knight Rises"
Judy Becker – "Silver Linings Playbook," "The Fighter"
Simon Bright – "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Avatar"
Martin T. Charles – "Marvel's The Avengers," "The Artist"
David M. Crank – "The Master," "Lincoln"
Stefan Paul Dechant – "Oz The Great and Powerful," "True Grit"
Tracey A. Doyle – "The Muppets," "21"
Anna Lynch-Robinson – "Les Misérables," "An Education"
Maria Nay – "Identity Thief," "Ray"
David Smith – "Crazy, Stupid, Love.," "The Holiday"

Directors
Nikolaj Arcel – "A Royal Affair," "Truth about Men"
Ava DuVernay* – "Middle of Nowhere," "I Will Follow"
Paul Feig – "The Heat," "Bridesmaids"
Catherine Hardwicke – "Twilight," "Thirteen"
Kirk Jones – "What to Expect When You're Expecting," "Waking Ned Devine"
Ken Kwapis – "Big Miracle," "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"
Pablo Larraín – "No," "Tony Manero"
Steve McQueen – "Shame," "Hunger"
Kim Nguyen – "War Witch (Rebelle)," "City of Shadows"
Jafar Panahi* – "This Is Not a Film," "The Circle"
Todd Phillips – "The Hangover," "Old School"
Joachim Rønning – "Kon-Tiki," "Max Manus"
Espen Sandberg – "Kon-Tiki," "Max Manus"
Tim Story – "Think Like a Man," "Fantastic Four"
Benh Zeitlin – "Beasts of the Southern Wild," "Glory at Sea"

Documentary
Orlando Bagwell – "Citizen King," "Malcolm X: Make It Plain"
Rebecca Cammisa – "God Is the Bigger Elvis," "Which Way Home"
Yung Chang – "China Heavyweight," "Up the Yangtze"
Michael Chin – "Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple," "In the Shadow of the Stars"
Christine Choy – "In the Name of the Emperor," "Who Killed Vincent Chin?"
Bonni Cohen – "The Island President," "Wonders Are Many: The Making of Doctor Atomic"
Eduardo Coutinho – "As Canções," "Cabra Marcado Para Morrer (Twenty Years Later)"
Miriam Cutler – "Kings Point," "Ethel"
Andrea Nix Fine – "Inocente," "War/Dance"
Sean Fine – "Inocente," "War/Dance"
Robert Frank – "Cocksucker Blues," "Pull My Daisy"
William Greaves – "Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey," "Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One"
Lauren Greenfield – "The Queen of Versailles," "Thin"
Patricio Guzmán – "Nostalgia for the Light," "The Battle of Chile"
Vivien Hillgrove – "Symphony of the Soil," "In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee"
Heddy Honigmann – "El Olvido (Oblivion)," "Crazy"
Vikram Jayanti – "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector," "Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine"
Peter Kinoy – "Poverty Outlaw," "When the Mountains Tremble"
Claude Lanzmann – "Le Rapport Karski (The Karski Report)," "Shoah"
Kim Longinotto – "Rough Aunties," "Sisters in Law"
Stanley Nelson – "Freedom Riders," "Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple"
Jehane Noujaim – "Control Room," "Startup.com"
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy – "Transgenders: Pakistan's Open Secret," "Saving Face"
Marcel Ophuls – "Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie," "The Sorrow and the Pity"
José Padilha – "Secrets of the Tribe," "Bus 174 (Ônibus 174)"
Jafar Panahi* – "This Is Not a Film," "The Circle"
Elise Pearlstein – "Last Call at the Oasis," "Food, Inc."
Raoul Peck – "Fatal Assistance (Assistance Mortelle)," "Lumumba: La Mort du Prophète"
Kevin Rafferty – "Harvard Beats Yale 29-29," "The Atomic Cafe"
J. Ralph* – "Chasing Ice," "Man on Wire"
Bob Richman – "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory," "Waiting for 'Superman'"
T. Woody Richman – "How to Survive a Plague," "Fahrenheit 9/11"
Veronica Selver – "Berkeley in the Sixties," "You Got to Move: Stories of Change in the South"
Jon Shenk – "The Island President," "Lost Boys of Sudan"
Ricki Stern – "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work," "The Devil Came on Horseback"
Robert Stone – "Earth Days," "Radio Bikini"
Annie Sundberg – "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work," "The Devil Came on Horseback"
Renee Tajima-Pena – "Who Killed Vincent Chin?," "My America (Or Honk If You Love Buddha)"
Agnès Varda – "The Beaches of Agnès," "The Gleaners and I"
Roger Ross Williams – "God Loves Uganda," "Music by Prudence"
Pamela Yates – "Granito: How to Nail a Dictator," "The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court"
Amy Ziering – "The Invisible War," "Derrida"

Executives
Holly Bario
Jeb Brody
Eric d'Arbeloff
Dean C. Hallett
Lynn Harris
Jeff Ivers
Jonathan King
Robert Kirby
Dylan Leiner
Nick Meyer
Andrew Millstein
Hannah Minghella
Angela Morrison
Brian Roberts
Mark Roybal
Tucker Tooley
Kevin Tsujihara

Film Editors
Michael Berenbaum – "What to Expect When You're Expecting," "Sex and the City"
Jeff Freeman – "Ted," "Cruel Intentions"
James Haygood – "Where the Wild Things Are," "Fight Club"
Stuart Levy – "Savages," "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps"
Mary Jo Markey – "Star Trek Into Darkness," "Super 8"

Makeup Artists and Hairstylists
Luisa Abel – "The Dark Knight Rises," "Inception"
Anne Aulenta-Spira – "The Place beyond the Pines," "Drive"
Terry Baliel – "The Dark Knight Rises," "J. Edgar"
Thomas Floutz – "The Call," "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"
Kay Georgiou – "Promised Land," "Lincoln"
Bernadette Mazur – "Men in Black 3," "The Campaign"
Kim Santantonio – "Gangster Squad," "Frost/Nixon"
Lisa Tomblin – "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1"
Kelvin R. Trahan – "Argo," "Memoirs of a Geisha"
Lisa Westcott – "Les Misérables," "Shakespeare in Love"

Members-at-Large
Victoria Alonso
Fred Baron
Ben Bray
Pieter Jan Brugge
Jackie Burch
Leo Davis
Susie Figgis
Lori Furie
Glenn S. Gainor
Joe Gareri
Lance Gilbert
Andy Gill
Mindy Marin
Laray Mayfield
Jeanne McCarthy
Neil Meron
Gary Powell
Ned Price
Michelle Satter
Stefan Sonnenfeld
Cindy Tolan
Brent Woolsey

Music
Ramiro Belgardt – "Star Trek Into Darkness," "Lincoln"
Ramin Djawadi – "Safe House," "Iron Man"
Jennifer Dunnington – "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Hugo"
Siedah Garrett – "Rio," "Dreamgirls"
Joe Hisaishi – "Ponyo," "Spirited Away"
Henry Jackman – "This Is the End," "Wreck-It Ralph"
Cliff Martinez – "Drive," "Traffic"
Prince – "Purple Rain," "Happy Feet"
J. Ralph* – "Chasing Ice," "Man on Wire"
Aaron Lael Zigman – "Peeples," "Sex and the City"

Producers
Stefan Arndt – "Amour," "The White Ribbon"
Jason Blum – "The Purge," "Paranormal Activity"
Finola Dwyer – "Quartet," "An Education"
Jack Giarraputo – "Anger Management," "The Wedding Singer"
Veit Heiduschka – "Amour," "The White Ribbon"
Lloyd Levin – "Green Zone," "Watchmen"
Julie Lynn – "Albert Nobbs," "Nine Lives"
Margaret Menegoz – "Amour," "The White Ribbon"
Andrea Sperling – "Smashed," "Like Crazy"

Public Relations
Rachel Cadden
Theresa Cross
Jeff S. Elefterion
Julie Fontaine
Jackson George
Anne Globe
Michael Lawson
Dennis O'Connor
Blair Rich
John G. Sabel

Short Films and Feature Animation
Marc Bertrand – "Gloria Victoria," "Hollow Land"
Bryan Buckley – "Asad," "The Wake-Up Caller"
Shawn Christensen – "Curfew," "Brink"
Eric Darnell – "Madagascar," "Shrek"
John C. Donkin – "Ice Age Continental Drift," "Gone Nutty"
Ken Duncan – "9," "Shark Tale"
Danielle Feinberg – "Brave," "WALL-E"
Sam Fell – "ParaNorman," "The Tale of Despereaux"
Matt Groening – "Maggie Simpson in 'The Longest Daycare,'" "The Simpsons Movie"
Vicky Jenson – "Shark Tale," "Shrek"
Travis Knight – "ParaNorman," "Coraline"
Steve May – "Brave," "Up"
Rich Moore – "Wreck-It Ralph," "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!"
Robert Neuman – "Wreck-It Ralph," "Tangled"
Brandon Oldenburg – "Rise of the Guardians," "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore"
PES – "Fresh Guacamole," "Western Spaghetti"
Steve Pilcher – "Brave," "Shrek the Third"
Normand Roger – "Hollow Land," "The Banquet of the Concubine"
Clark Spencer – "Wreck-It Ralph," "Bolt"

Sound
Bobbi Banks – "The Call," "Hustle & Flow"
Jose Antonio Garcia – "Argo," "Babel"
Simon Hayes – "Les Misérables," "X-Men: First Class"
Edward J. Hernandez – "Real Steel," "Basic Instinct"
Daniel S. Irwin – "Prometheus," "Little Children"
Drew Kunin – "Life of Pi," "Lost in Translation"
Michael W. Mitchell – "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Matrix Reloaded"
Tom Ozanich – "Project X," "Kill Bill: Vol. 2"
Mark Paterson – "Les Misérables," "The Pirates! Band of Misfits"
Richard Pryke – "127 Hours," "Slumdog Millionaire"
Erin Michael Rettig – "A Good Day to Die Hard," "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"
Ann Scibelli – "Prometheus," "Inglourious Basterds"
Brian T. Slack – "Chéri," "Crossover"
Bruce Tanis – "Gangster Squad," "X-Men: First Class"
F. Elmo Weber – "Identity Thief," "The Kids Are All Right"
Christopher T. Welch – "Silver Linings Playbook," "(500) Days of Summer"
Dave Whitehead – "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "District 9"
Stuart Wilson – "Skyfall," "War Horse"

Visual Effects
Jason Bayever – "Life of Pi," "The Wolfman"
Mark Breakspear – "The Great Gatsby," "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Brennan – "Snow White and the Huntsman," "Minority Report"
Tony Clark – "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"
David Clayton – "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Avatar"
Michael Dawson – "Snow White and the Huntsman," "The Devil's Double"
Erik-Jan De Boer – "Life of Pi," "Night at the Museum"
Donald R. Elliott – "Life of Pi," "Seabiscuit"
John Goodson – "Red Tails," "Marvel's The Avengers"
Charley Henley – "Prometheus," "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"
John McLeod – "Django Unchained," "The Aviator"
Mark Noel – "Oz The Great and Powerful," "Transformers"
David Prescott – "Transformers," "X-Men"
Guillaume Rocheron – "Life of Pi," "Sucker Punch"
Wendy Rogers – "Puss in Boots," "Shrek"
David Alexander Smith – "The Amazing Spider-Man," "The Matrix Reloaded"
Wayne Stables – "The Adventures of Tintin," "Avatar"
Richard Stammers – "Prometheus," "Angels & Demons"
Richard Stutsman – "Zero Dark Thirty," "Independence Day"
Christopher Townsend – "Captain America: The First Avenger," "The Day after Tomorrow"
Stephan Trojansky – "Marvel's The Avengers," "Hereafter"
David Watkins – "Ali," "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom"
Jeff White – "Marvel's The Avengers," "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"
Trevor Wood – "Prometheus," "The Golden Compass"

Writers
Jessica Bendinger – "Aquamarine," "Bring It On"
Reggie Rock Bythewood – "Notorious," "Get on the Bus"
Tina Gordon Chism – "Peeples," "Drumline"
Julie Delpy – "Before Midnight," "2 Days in Paris"
Lena Dunham – "Nobody Walks," "Tiny Furniture"
Ava DuVernay* – "Middle of Nowhere," "I Will Follow"
John Gatins – "Flight," "Coach Carter"
John Hamburg – "I Love You, Man," "Meet the Parents"
John Lee Hancock – "Snow White and the Huntsman," "The Blind Side"
Rian Johnson – "Looper," "Brick"
Jeff Nichols – "Mud," "Take Shelter"
Sarah Polley – "Take This Waltz," "Away from Her"
Chris Terrio – "Argo," "Heights"

Associates
Lorrie Bartlett
Paul Bronfman
Markham L. Goldstein
Robert Harvey
Gregory S. Laemmle
Sandra Marsh
Adam Schweitzer
Kimberly Snyder
Matthew L. Snyder
Les Zellan

Three individuals (noted above by an asterisk) have been invited to join the Academy by multiple branches. These individuals must select one branch upon accepting membership.

Each year Academy members may sponsor one candidate for membership within their branch. New member application reviews take place in the spring. Applications for the coming year must be received by March 20, 2014.

New members will be welcomed into the Academy at an invitation-only reception in September.

The Academy Announces Submission Dates For 2013 Oscars®

 

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced category submission deadlines for 86th Academy Awards® consideration.

The dates are as follows:

Scientific and Technical Awards	Friday, July 12
Documentary Short Subject	Tuesday, September 3
Documentary Feature	Monday, September 23
Live Action Short Film	Tuesday, October 1
Animated Short Film	Tuesday, October 1
Foreign Language Film	Tuesday, October 1
Animated Feature Film	Friday, November 1
Original Score	Monday, December 2
Original Song	Monday, December 2
Official Screen Credits Form	Monday, December 2
All submissions are due by 5 p.m. PT

For the entire list of key dates and all rules, please visit Academy Awards Rules.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

ACADEMY ANNOUNCES ANIMATED FEATURE FILM RULE CHANGE

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences approved rules for the 86th Oscars®. The most significant change affects the Animated Feature Film category.

In this category, the new rule designates a maximum of two award recipients, one of whom must have a producer credit. The director and/or key creative individual shall continue to be a recipient, and in the circumstance of a two-person team with shared and equal director credit, a third statuette may be awarded.

Previously announced rules changes for the 86th Academy Awards® include allowing members to see the nominated documentary shorts and foreign language films either at a theatrical screening or on DVD. Prior to the final round of voting, the Academy will provide members with DVDs of the nominated films in five categories: Foreign Language Film, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Animated Short Film, and Live Action Short Film.

Other adjustments to the rules include standard date and other routine changes.

Rules are reviewed annually by individual branch and category committees. The Awards Rules Committee then evaluates all proposed changes before presenting its recommendations to the Academy’s Board of Governors for approval.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

The Academy Announces Naming Of The David Geffen Theater!

The David Geffen Foundation Donates $25 Million To The Academy Museum Of Motion Pictures

 

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that it has received a $25 million commitment from The David Geffen Foundation for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The gift was made as part of the Academy Museum's $300 million capital campaign and is the largest commitment received to date. In recognition of this gift, the Academy will name the Museum's premiere-sized theater The David Geffen Theater.

 

"David's support of this project is transformative," said Academy Museum Campaign Chair Bob Iger. "It takes a large and diverse group of supporters to build a project on the scale of the Academy Museum. David joins an esteemed group of individuals, companies, and foundations who are leading the charge." The Academy launched the Museum's capital campaign in 2012 and has already secured more than half of the campaign's goal in commitments. The campaign is co-chaired by Annette Bening and Tom Hanks.

 

"I'm pleased to support the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures," added David Geffen. "This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the creation of an iconic architectural space and cultural institution that will combine the best of the old and the new and provide a permanent public home for the Academy's rich tradition of honoring the shining stars of the cinematic arts."

 

Designed by architects Renzo Piano and Zoltan Pali, the Academy Museum will be located next to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in the historic Wilshire May Company building. Slated to open in early 2017, the Academy Museum will contain nearly 300,000 square feet of state-of-the-art galleries, exhibition spaces, theaters, screening rooms, education centers, and special event spaces.

 

The design for the Academy Museum fully restores the Wilshire and Fairfax street-front facades of the original 1939 Streamline Moderne building. It also includes a spherical wing at the northern end of the original building that will replace an extension made to the structure in 1946. Designed to represent the marriage of art and technology, the wing will house The David Geffen Theater and will be a spectacular new piece of contemporary architecture that will perfectly complement the historic building.

 

"David's enlightened philanthropy touches lives every day," said Dawn Hudson, the Academy's CEO. "His generosity and commitment to our museum are deeply inspiring to all of us working to make this long-held dream a reality."

 

The David Geffen Theater will be in operation throughout the year. Programming will include: premieres of films from an international roster of established and emerging filmmakers, major retrospectives, in-depth symposia that will illuminate the crafts of moviemaking, and high-profile special events.

 

SOURCE The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

ACADEMY KICKS OFF KUNG FU POSTER EXHIBITION WITH 40TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING OF "ENTER THE DRAGON"

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences kicks off its new exhibition, “KICK ASS! Kung Fu Posters from the Stephen Chin Collection,” with a 40th anniversary screening of “Enter the Dragon” on Wednesday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The evening will feature an introduction by Stephen Chin and an onstage discussion with the film’s cast and crew, including actor John Saxon, screenwriter Michael Allin, cinematographer Gil Hubbs and producers Fred Weintraub and Paul Heller. There will be special evening gallery hours immediately following the screening.

In 2011, producer and screenwriter Chin donated his collection of more than 800 kung fu film posters and related materials to the Academy. A six-sheet poster from “Enter the Dragon” is featured prominently in the exhibition, along with such collectibles as early English-language kung fu manuals, skateboards, trading cards and lunchboxes. A viewing station will feature action-packed trailers for many of the films represented in the exhibition.

"The kung fu genre exploded into world cinema in the 1970s, changing forever the way action films are shot and edited. And forever changing American popular culture,” said Chin. “I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to save so much of that history. And I am thrilled that the Academy is now able to share it with a larger audience."

“KICK ASS! Kung Fu Posters from the Stephen Chin Collection” highlights the unprecedented success of Bruce Lee and a multitude of other kung fu stars that followed in his footsteps, including Jackie Chan, Sonny Chiba, Sammo Hung, Jet Li and Chuck Norris. Women such as Angela Mao in “Deadly China Doll” (1973) and Sue Shiomi in “Sister Street Fighter” (1974) were also a vital part of kung fu’s early popularity. The exhibition also looks at the myriad ways in which kung fu has been blended with other genres in the West, such as blaxploitation, horror, fantasy, comedy and science fiction.

In the 1970s, kung fu captured the imagination of moviegoers worldwide by updating ancient Asian martial arts traditions for a contemporary audience thrilled by extreme action, vengeance-fueled stories and eye-popping feats of physical skill. Filmed almost entirely on location in Hong Kong, “Enter the Dragon” (1973) was the first kung fu film produced by a major Hollywood studio, Warner Bros., and brought the genre into the American mainstream.

Bruce Lee, who choreographed and staged the fights himself, plays a martial arts expert who enters a grueling martial arts tournament to take revenge on the gang that killed his sister. Lee died a month before “Enter the Dragon” was released in the U.S., but the film’s popularity cemented his status as a cinematic legend.

The original 35mm Technicolor dye-transfer print is courtesy of Academy Film Archive and Warner Bros.

Tickets for “Enter the Dragon” on April 17 are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID, and may be purchased starting April 1 online at www.oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office or by mail. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Ticketed seating is unreserved.

“KICK ASS! Kung Fu Posters from the Stephen Chin Collection” will be open to the public from April 18 through August 25 in the Academy’s Grand Lobby Gallery in Beverly Hills. Regular viewing hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weekends, noon to 6 p.m. Admission to the gallery is free. For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.