IMAX Corporation, MacGillivray Freeman Films, and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that two-time Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep will narrate TO THE ARCTIC 3D. The film will be released exclusively to select IMAX® theatres starting April 20, 2012.

To The Arctic 3D, from two-time Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Greg MacGillivray (The Living Sea, Dolphins), is the first co-production fromWarner Bros. Pictures,MacGillivray Freeman Films andIMAX Corporation, following the companies’ strategic alliance announced late last year.

An extraordinary journey to the top of the world, To The Arctic 3D is the ultimate tale of survival. The film takes audiences on a never-before-experienced journey into the lives of a mother polar bear and her two seven-month-old cubs as they navigate the changing Arctic wilderness they call home. Captivating, adventurous, and intimate footage brings moviegoers up close and personal with this family’s struggle to survive in a frigid environment of melting ice, immense glaciers, spectacular waterfalls, and majestic snow-bound peaks.

PHOTO: © 2012 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC., PHOTO: SHAUN MACGILLIVRAY

“To The Arctic was filmed entirely in 15/70mm with spectacular shots designed to take full advantage of the IMAX 3D format, and the story and setting will be made even more powerful by Meryl Streep’s unmatched artistry,” said Greg MacGillivray, President, MacGillivray Freeman Films and director of To The Arctic. ”This is MacGillivray Freeman’s third collaboration with Meryl, and we are delighted to pair her prodigious talents with this emotional story of family and hope.”

Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures, stated, “Together withIMAX, we have transported audiences from the reaches of space to the depths of the ocean and, most recently, into the untamed jungle. We are thrilled to partner withIMAXand MacGillivray Freeman Films to tell an important story about a vanishing landscape and the animals that count on it for their survival.”

“The most enduring relationship is that between a mother and child, which is powerfully portrayed through the polar bear family in To The Arctic,” addedGreg Foster, Chairman and President,IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “Greg MacGillivray’s engaging storytelling combined with the strength of theWarner Bros. andIMAX partnership will deliver for audiences an inspiring glimpse into how the ties between family prevail above all else.”

Meryl Streep most recently earned a Golden Globe Award for her leading role asMargaret ThatcherinPhyllida Lloyd’s new film “The Iron Lady.” Her numerous honors include an astonishing 16 Academy Award® nominations, including her two Oscar® wins for her work in “Sophie’s Choice” and “Kramer vs. Kramer,” as well as 26 Golden Globe nominations, with additional wins for her performances in “Julie & Julia,” “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Angels in America,” “Adaptation,” “Sophie’s Choice,” “The French Lieutenant’s Woman,” and “Kramer vs. Kramer.” Streep’s many other additional credits include the recent award-winning films “Mamma Mia,” “Doubt,” and “The Hours.” She next stars in the comedy “Great Home Springs,” to be released by later this year.

About To The Arctic 3D
To The Arctic 3D is an IMAX, MacGillivray Freeman Films and Warner Bros. Pictures co-production and a presentation of One World One Ocean (www.oneworldoneocean.org). The film was produced in association with Campion Foundation, Reynders, McVeigh Capital Management, Canadian Museum of Civilization and MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation. To The Arctic was shot by Greg MacGillivray, Brad Ohlund, Bob Cranston, Howard Hall, Ron Goodman and Jack Tankard, produced by Shaun MacGillivray, written by Stephen Judson and executive produced by Tom Campion, Chat Reynders and Harrison Smith. The film’s companion book, To The Arctic, featuring photography by wildlife photographer Florian Schulz, is now available from Braided River, whose books combine photography and essays to raise awareness about some of the world’s last great wild places (www.welcometothearctic.org). More information about the film can be found at http://www.imax.com/tothearctic.

About MacGillivray Freeman Films
MacGillivray Freeman Films is the world’s foremost independent producer and distributor of giant-screen 70mm films with 35 IMAX films to its credit. Throughout the company’s 40-year history, its films have won numerous international awards including two Academy Award® nominations and three films inducted into the IMAX Hall of Fame. To The Arctic 3D follows in the company’s long tradition of producing films that call attention to the natural world. It is the first film presentation ofOne World One Ocean, a multi-year, multi-platform campaign established by company founderGreg MacGillivray to change how people see and value the world’s oceans.  MacGillivray Freeman’s films are known for their artistry and celebration of science and the natural world.

IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience® and The IMAX Experience® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).

A coming-of-age documentary, UNDEFEATED provides audiences an intimate view of an underprivileged group of teens and their inspirational coach, as they attempt to make history in this new clip from the film. It’s one of the 15 in the Documentary Feature category that advanced in the voting process for the 84th Academy Awards®. One hundred twenty-four pictures had originally qualified in the category.

Synopsis

Set in the inner-city of Memphis, UNDEFEATED chronicles the Manassas Tigers’ 2009 football season, on and off-the-field, as they strive to win the first playoff game in the high school’s 110-year history.

A perennial whipping boy, in recent decades Manassas had gone so far as to sell their home games to the highest bidder, but that all changed in the spring of 2004 when Bill Courtney, a former high school football coach turned lumber salesman, volunteered to lend a hand. When he arrived, the team consisted of 17 players, some timeworn equipment and a patch of grass masquerading as a practice field.

Focusing more on winning young men than football games, the football program nevertheless began resurrecting itself and, in 2009, features the most talented team Manassas has ever fielded; a team that seems poised to end the playoff jinx that has plagued the school since time immemorial.

Look for UNDEFEATED in theaters February 10, 2012.

The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences approved documentary and short films rules for the 85th Academy Awards at its most recent meeting (December 6). The most significant changes expand members’ opportunities to view contending films, enabling more members to participate in the Academy’s voting processes in the Documentary Feature, Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film categories.

In the Documentary Feature category, the entire Documentary Branch will now receive all eligible titles beginning in the first round of voting. To facilitate this change, filmmakers must submit 200 DVDs, an increase from the 30 that had been required in previous years. In the final round of voting in this category, members must still see all the nominated films, but the viewing of films on digital or DVD screeners will now be an option for satisfying this requirement.

A documentary feature film’s eligibility will continue to depend on completing seven-day qualifying runs in both New York and Los Angeles that are advertised in at least one major newspaper, as specified by Academy rules, in each city. For the 85th Academy Awards, however, a review by a movie critic in The New York Times and/or the Los Angeles Times will also be required.

In the Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film categories, members will still have to see all the nominated films before casting their final ballots, but viewing the films on screeners will now be an option for satisfying this requirement. Films that are shown during their theatrical run in a non-standard format, such as IMAX, will have to be submitted to the Academy in a standard theatrical aspect ratio and in a format currently accepted for Academy exhibition to remain eligible. Producers may provide additional screenings of their films in non-standard formats, but members’ attendance at such screenings will not be required for voting purposes.

Other rules changes for the documentary and short films categories include normal date changes and minor “housekeeping” changes.

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

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

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Countless movies over the years have dealt with the exploits of fictional characters that have brought things to life-from Doctors Frankenstein to Herbert West ( the Re-Animator flicks ). With the new documentary BEING ELMO we learn about a real-life re-animator named Kevin Clashwho,instead of body parts or mechanical men, gives life to stitched together bits of foam and felt. More importantly, he’s the guy behind the pre-K superstar of Sesame Street, Elmo.

Clash’s journey to that TV street began on a real, urban street in Baltimore in the early 1970′s. He was fascinated by puppets and marionettes and was encouraged by his family ( his father was not upset that he used the lining of his trench coat for one of his first puppet creations ). Entertaining the children in his mother’s day-care service in the back yard ( a blanket tossed over the clothes line was his stage ) to cheering up kids at hospitals and schools, Clash soon made a name for himself in the area. Word reached the local TV stations and soon he was an integralpart of a local kids’ show. They helped put him in touch with Robert Keeshan, who brought Clash on board his long-running ” Captain Kangaroo “. Of course the big superstar of puppetry those days was Muppet mastermind Jim Henson. After catching a TV showabout the making of his characters, Clash set about meeting the designer and engineer of the Muppets, Kermit Love. Thanks to his mother making many phone calls, Clash met the puppet wizard during a highschool NYC field trip. This lead to the syndicated TV kids’ show ” The Great Space Coaster” , and finally, once the Captainand the Coaster left the airwaves, to Henson’s staff. After working on the feature film LABYRITH, Clash became one of the main Muppet performers on ” Sesame Street “. After toiling away with a number of Street residents, one of the other muppeteerstossed him a red, furry, orange-nosed monster character ( who he had voiced as a caveman-type ) and said, ” See what you can do with this!”. Clash brainstormed and soon came up with a mischievous, affectionate, five-year-old charmer that captured the hearts of tykes everywhere. Clash had finally found his foam and felt perfect alter-ego, Elmo.

BEING ELMO is an engaging story that, not only tells of the joy of performing and being encouraged by a supportive family, but also gives many examples of the benfits ofpaying-it-forward. Clash gets lots of advice from the local Baltimore TV crew, then Kermit Love, and finally Henson andhis Muppet team. Soon, Clash is passing his wisdom and skills to performersof the foreign versions of Sesame and, finally, a wide-eyed, pre-teen puppeteer. The film is sparsely narrated by Whoopi Goldberg. Clash mostly tells his own story in interviews with the film makers, and extensive footage from past TV news stories about him ( some great scenes from the old TV show ” The Big, Blue Marble” ) and behind the scenes featurettes. surprisinglywe see some clips from Henson’s memorial service in 1990. And, the film does address the whole ” Tickle Me Elmo” mania that swept the country a few years back. Clash seems a bit stunned by this, but he’s truly touched by the impact that he’s made on children. We see him welcoming an ailing little girl and her family to the Street set in a touching sequence. Seems that a visit to their little furry friend is a popular request at the Make-A-Wish Foundation. There’s many interviews with other performers and family members, but some of his adult personal life is glossedover a bit. After seeing home video of his wife headed to the hospital to give birth, we don’t hear about her until a few moments later when she’s referred to as an ex-wife. There’s many scenes of Clash regretting being an absentee father to his daughter and then many clips from her big sweet sixteen party. These are many quibbles. BEING ELMO is a charming film that celebrates a determined, gifted man who, thanks to hard work and encouraging mentors, found an outlet to hare his love and joy, and made all his young dreams come true. It’s a story that should touch ( and tickle ) even the most cynical filmgoers.

Overall Rating : Four Out of Five Stars

The application of the death penalty in the sentencing of criminal cases has been an issue that continues to divide this country. A few months ago, at one of the many GOP presidential debates, the moderator noted the number of executions performed while Rick Perry was governor of Texas. This elicited gales of wild applause from the debate audience, while many pundits were shocked at the reaction. For his latest feature film documentary, director Werner Herzog traveled to that state to take a closer look at this divisive topic by focusing in on a horrific crime and the two young men who were brought to justice and met very different fates.

In the small, sleepy town of Conroe, Texas Michael Perry and Jason Burkett were found guilty in the death of Sandra Stotler, her teenage son, and his school pal. It seemed that Perry and Burkett shot the three for a few dollars, charge cards, and their almost-new cars. The two were arrested following a desperate shoot out at a gas station. Herzog interviews ( the film maker is always just off camera ) Perry as he is just days away from the lethal injection that will end his life. He appears smiling. affable, and ready to meet his maker although he still confesses his innocence in the actual slayings ( both men accuse the other of being the trigger-man ). Burkitt has received a life sentence perhaps thanks to a heartfelt plea from his incarcerated father ( he’s also interviewed ). Friends and acquaintances of the two men are also interviewed along with the prison chaplain and the man who must prepare the condemned for that walk to the death chamber. Thankfully Herzog also speaks with those left behind -the devastated ex-con older brother of one of the slain young men and the emotionally scarred daughter and sister of the Stotlers. She’s so traumatized by the murders that she refuses to have a telephone number for fear of receiving  tragic news once again.

Herzog has constructed a somber investigative film that has elements we’ve encountered in fiction films in recent years. The chaplain shares some of the beliefs espoused in DEAD MEN WALKING, while the death row coordinator is similar to Billy Bob Thorton’s MONSTER’S BALL character. I couldn’t help but also be reminded of Errol Morris’s THE THIN BLUE LINE which helped free Randall Adams from death row. There’s no question of the guilt of these two men, however. Herzog shows the injustice of the justice system in the sentencing of the two. He uses news reports, police crime scene video, and title cards to take us through the murders. The interviews are basically talking head shots against familiar settings. It takes a little getting used to the questions asked in that soft German accent and the subjects answers in their thick Texas twangs. Herzog is able to put them at ease and get great candid replies. He also likes to cut the sound and lets the camera linger on the interviewees in silence with the mournful score accompanying. At the end it seems that something is lacking in this film. We are never really taken inside the heads of these two men and helped to understand why they turned to violence. Perry is particularly an enigma. We never get to hear from any close friends or relatives. The film seems to be a more artful and longer version of the true crime docudramas that fill the network’s weekend schedule. The subject ( and the victim’s families ) deserve much more.

Overall Rating: Three and a Half Out of Five Stars

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 84th Academy Awards®. One hundred twenty-four pictures had originally qualified in the category.

Some noticeables left off: SENNA, THE INTERRUPTERS, TABLOID, THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD and INTO THE ABYSS.

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

“Battle for Brooklyn” (RUMER Inc.)
“Bill Cunningham New York” (First Thought Films)
“Buck” (Cedar Creek Productions)
“Hell and Back Again” (Roast Beef Productions Limited)
“If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front” (Marshall Curry Productions, LLC)
“Jane’s Journey” (NEOS Film GmbH & Co. KG)
“The Loving Story” (Augusta Films)
“Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory” (@radical.media)
“Pina” (Neue Road Movies GmbH)
“Project Nim” (Red Box Films)
“Semper Fi: Always Faithful” (Tied to the Tracks Films, Inc.)
“Sing Your Song” (S2BN Belafonte Productions, LLC)
“Undefeated” (Spitfire Pictures)
“Under Fire: Journalists in Combat” (JUF Pictures, Inc.)
“We Were Here” (Weissman Projects, LLC)

The Documentary Branch Screening Committee viewed all the eligible documentaries for the preliminary round of voting. Documentary Branch members will now select the five nominees from among the 15 titles on the shortlist. The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

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THE GRAY SEASONS was originally reviewed during the St. Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase.

The title of Robert Herrera’s compelling new documentary THE GRAY SEASONS does not refer to overcast skies nor the tones of the exceptional black and and white photography. It’s main focus is Shimmy Gray-Miller, the young woman hired to overhaul the St. Louis University Lady Billikens basketball program starting starting in 2006. The title seasons are the four following that start, through 2010.Before she arrives the record of the team is dismal, so Coach Gray-Miller begins building from the ground up by recruiting star players from high schools all across the country.

The film focuses on this small group of young women as the coach,with her assistants, try to establish a new winning dynasty. With the opening of their new home facility, the Chafetz Arena, hopes are running high. Over the course of these four years staff and administration change as Gray-Miller tries to connect with her talented players. There’s lots of footage in the locker room as she spurs them on and later during the grueling early morning practice sessions. It’s jarring to see the nearly empty bleachers at the games-even the big tournaments.

It seems that the men continue to fill the stands and command media attention. Perhaps that will change soon because of dedicated players and coaches like the women profiled here. By the time the four seasons wind down few of the players from 2006 remain. As Coach Gray-Miller says, “This isn’t HOOSIERS.” Still, THE GRAY SEASONS is just as enlightening and inspiring.

Showtimes
Tuesday, November 15th at 6:30pm – Tivoli Theatre

Few people living today have my respect as highly as Jane Goodall. If you want an exemplary case of one person who has devoted her life selflessly to a cause greater than herself, she would rank highly on that list. For this reason alone, I was ecstatic to find out someone had made a film about her life.

JANE’S JOURNEY is a 2010 documentary written and directed by Lorenz Knauer, a film that chronicles Jane Goodall’s life from her roots as a little girl in the UK to her ongoing campaigns of present day. From a strictly biographical, informative perspective, this is a valuable and enjoyable film.

You may sense, however, the eminent presence of a “but” looming in the near future. If so, you would be correct. JANE’S JOURNEY offers a wonderful encyclopedic reference of the fascinating woman, tracing her many accomplishments and contributions. Even more fascinating is that Goodall did this all out of passion. She had no degree or specialized training when she first ventured to Africa in the early ‘60s as a very young woman. That alone took some bravery.

On the other hand, JANE’S JOURNEY feels a bit long and drawn out. Even at merely 111 minutes, the film feels as though its stretching the topic, when no stretching is truly needed. There are definitely areas of the film that could have been tightened up, and while the celebrity interviews theoretically offer added credibility to Goodall’s reputation, they really were not necessary, offering little more than fluff.

JANE’S JOURNEY is an exquisitely photographed film, capturing the beauty of the wild and foreign land she came to know as her home, as well as many moments of her with the chimpanzees she came to consider family. However, the structure and pacing of the film cause it to feel like a television special on the Biography or History Channels.

While Jane Goodall began her unique career in conservation focused on the endangered chimpanzees, JANE’S JOURNEY does venture into her work as a humanitarian as well. This only makes sense, when we consider that our lives and the lives of the species we endanger, as well as the environment we destroy – the same environment that wildlife calls home – are all clearly interconnected.

As a timeline of Jane Goodall’s life, the film succeeds triumphantly, but as a moving, emotional cinematic experience, JANE’S JOURNEY falls short. With such a captivating subject, and with all that’s happening in our world today, the film could potentially reach the hearts and minds of so many unemployed, underprivileged and unaware citizens, if only the film had a bit more heart and identity of its own.

Regardless, JANE’S JOURNEY is a wonderfully thoughtful documentation of one of the greatest women alive today and deserves to be seen by everyone possible. Her ideas and her concerns affect us all, whether we want to believe and accept it or not.

Showtimes
Monday, November 14th at 7:00pm – Plaza Frontenac Cinema

THE INTERRUPTERS was originally reviewed on September 9th, 2011.

Every day thousands of people across the nation grit their teeth in frustration while reading the daily papers and weekly news magazines. Many more clench their fists against their armchairs while watching local TV news broadcasts. It seems the country (or, state or home city) is going to “Hell in a hand basket!” But they’re not part of the government-what can they do? Film maker Steve James (HOOP DREAMS) and author/producer Alex Kottlowitz addresses this dilemma in the powerful new documentary THE INTERRRUPTERS. the individuals profiled here, armed only with their wits and a cell phone, may be the most heroic action stars that you’ll see in the cinemas this year.

THE INTERRUPTERS documents the effort of an organization called CeaseFire to stem the rising tide of the youth violence (particularly in the south side of Chicago). As the title suggests these people, men and women ranging in age from their early ’20s through their ’50s, step in during heated altercations and attempt to restore calm before fists (and rocks,bottles,knives, and guns) strike out. We first meet the group’s founder, epidemiologist Gary Slutkin, a man who traveled the globe battling disease and now wants to eradicate the disease of violence that is ravaging the community

One of the main Chicago co-ordinators, Tio Hardiman the creator of the “Violence Interrupters” program, meets the street team at a large table and helps map out trouble spots where they must concentrate their efforts. Like most of the Ceasefire members Hardiman’s youth involved gangs and crime. The film follows the team during a brutal year on those mean streets and focuses on three of these people trying to make a difference. While much of the work is with the African-American neighborhoods, the film spends some time with a former Latino gang member, Eddie Bocanegra ,who takes us to the spot where he took a life many years ago. He then conducts an art class with children at an inner city grade school that helps them deal with their fears. Later Eddie interacts with a family who lost their fifteen year old son to a stray bullet. We observe their daily gathering at his grave site and hear his younger sister tell of how he died in her arms.

The most charismatic and vocal of the trio is Ameena Mathews, daughter of legendary gang leader Jeff Fort, who is one of the first CeaseFire workers to step in (near the the start of the film she tries to diffuse a fight right outside their offices). She tells of her time as a party girl and how the party ended when she was shot. Her struggle to reach out to a troubled nineteen year old girl, is full of setbacks and small victories. The busiest of the group may be Cobe Williams, who seems to doing a variation of the old plate-spinning act. He attempts to reconcile a single mother and her two teenage sons who belong to rival gangs. Then he’s doing his best to cool off a street hustler known as “Flamo” (ironically enough) who seeks revenge on whoever called the police on his family home (Mom was put in handcuffs while his wheelchair-bound brother was taken to the station). Finally he picks up a young seventeen year old after serving two years for armed robbery. After a tearful reunion with his sisters and kid brother, Cobe takes him to the barber shop he and his gang had robbed in order to apologize to his victims. Soon they’re trying to score a job for him . Unfortunately, it seems that the CeaseFire team is always on the move with ver few breaks.

Like HOOP DREAMS James lets the participants guide the stories. There’s no flashy graphics, recreations,and animation in this portrait of a community in turmoil. James’s camera where there when the fatal beating of high schooler Derrion Albert made the national news after a grainy video of his murder hit the Internet. The CeaseFire team swoops in and stays with the family as the national media quickly moves on. There is some use of local TV news clips and newspaper headlines along with family photos and videos. The most haunting images maybe the piles of stuffed toys and makeshift posters and cards on street corners where a slaying has recently occurred. This film has more tension that the last five Hollywood thrillers combined. The team is determined not to use violence, but unfortunately they get caught in the crossfire. There’s no magic force field that protects them. In one scene Tio Hardiman is overcome with emotion when visiting an interrupter was was shot in the back while walking away from a street fight he thought had ended. With all this misery, THE INTERRUPTERS leaves you with a great belief in the good of humanity. Along with this horrific tales of carnage, there are stories of redemption, courage, and forgiveness. But they have little time to celebrate those little victories. The street is calling. But, maybe… someday.

Showtimes

Sunday, November 13th at 1:00pm – Wildey Theatre

This film begins with a scene familiar to fans of  documentaries about music groups. Hugh DeNeal and his band mates are in a car cruising down the highway. No doubt on their way to their next gig. No, not this time. They’re on their way to Leavenworth Kansas so Hugh may turn himself in. This is one of many surprises in CONFIDENCE MAN : THE HUGH DENEAL STORY. As the title suggests Hugh is the main focus of the film. We follow him growing up in a small town in southern Illinois. He seemed to drift until his brother inspired him to pursue a music career. The brothers and some friends formed the Woodbox Gang with Hugh as lead vocalist and author of their most popular songs in the ” caustic acoustic” American genre. His lyrics were powerful and compelling. The Gang toured the country and attracted the attention of former Dead Kennedy band member Jello Biafra, who signed them to his Alternative Tentacles music label.  But the money was not coming in fast enough for Hugh.

Now with your typical “behind the music” type story this is where drugs would come in to break up the band. Not quite. DeNeal decided to try and make extra cash from an internet investment scheme that involved blank T-shirts which unraveled into a classic “Ponzi scheme.”  The film documents this downward spiral with lots of interviews with friends, law-enforcement officers, family and, most revealing, DeNeal himself. Inter-cut is plenty of entrancing footage of the band’s wild performances that sent audience into a frenzy (the great lyrics are printed out too). This is a film that’s a profile of gifted musicians and a cautionary tale of greed and corruption.

Growing up we’re always told that it’s important to set goals, to follow your dreams. But what if you were given a time limit to achieve these (shorter than your expected life span). This is the dramatic theme in the new documentary DYING TO DO LETTERMAN. The film follows the journey of a likable professional stand-up comedian in his thirties by the name of Steve Mazan. Growing up his comedy hero was David Letterman, so his goal was to do his act on Dave’s show. Then the fates threw him a curve. His doctor told him that he had cancerous tumors on his liver. Inoperable. Worst case scenario- he had maybe  five, six years. Instead of plopping on the coach and bemoaning his fate, Mazan focused in on his Letterman Show dream with a vengeance. After asking his comedy club audiences to email the show, he gets an official letter from NYC. One of the Letterman producers tells him that it’s not gonna’ happen-they’re not in the business of granting wishes. This news just makes Mazn more determined. He doesn’t want to get on the show because he’s sick. He wants to earn it by being funny. Trouble is that his wait time could be very brief.

What could’ve been a grim story becomes a tale of hope and laughter. His girlfriend of only a few months becomes a great source of strength as she decides to stay with him and tries to  follow her dreams also. We get a look at how comedians work up their act and massage their jokes to perfection. Mazan gets a lot of help from a couple of comic pals and gets some advice from several Letterman vets (Jim Gaffigan, Kevin Nealon, Brian Regan, and Ray Romano, whose Letterman stint turned into a huge sitcom). He also gets  a pep talk from the late, great Robert Shimmel (perhaps his last interview before he succumbed to cancer). This film is an uplifting story that will give you a great insight into the lives of the men and women who grab a mike, deal with rowdy drunks, and follow their hearts  no matter what life throws at them.

Showtimes
Saturday, November 12th at 2:15pm – Plaza Frontenac Cinema

Review by Dana Jung

In this country, 51% of the population are women, but only 17% of Congress is women. Our elected leadership consists primarily of white, male, higher-income, college educated individuals—a class which represents only 6% of the general population. The countries of China, Cuba, Iraq, and Afghanistan have more women in government than the United States. Why? Who is to blame for this disparity? These numbers are just statistics, but the fact that the majority of young women today seem to have little or no interest in politics or social activism is the real tragedy.

These are some of the themes presented in the persuasive and sometimes eye-opening new documentary MISS REPRESENTATION by Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The film mixes interviews with notable women and men, images from past and current entertainment venues, and many more facts and figures, plus the personal reflections of the director in an interesting and compelling manner. It was the birth of her daughter, according to Siebel Newsom, that was the inspiration for this film. Taking a hard look at the way women are perceived in this country, in everything from music videos to the powerful halls of Washington, with rates of depression in young women doubling in the last decade, and with the astounding rise in the number of women having eating disorders, getting cosmetic surgery, or just having a negative self-image, MISS REPRESENTATION squarely points its finger of blame at one main culprit: the media.

Reality TV shows that glorify the basest and most unrefined human behavior, newsmagazines with their Barbie-like commentators, and advertisers that pander to feelings of anxiety about body image, are just some of the targets of MISS REPRESENTATION. The government, too, has played a role by deregulating mass media outlets (remember “Family Hour,” anyone?) and limiting the power of the FCC. The truth is, nearly everything we see and hear– on television, in movies, or through the internet—is packaged and manufactured by huge media conglomerates, which have governing boards with only one woman for every 10 board members. Women only own about 6% of all radio and TV stations, and only about 10% of all producers, writers, and directors are female.

It is heartening to see such public figures as Condoleezza Rice, Katie Couric, Rachel Maddow, Geena Davis, and Lisa Ling speak eloquently about not only the status quo, but also the danger of a future devoid of women’s voices. Many of the excerpts of news shows also speak volumes about how women are treated in the media; some are presented without commentary, as they amazingly portray the ignorance and sexual bias prevalent in so much of what is considered “broadcast entertainment” today.

The director recounts how, as a new actress just starting out, she was advised by her agency to omit from her resume’ the fact that she had an MBA degree from Stanford. It might limit her roles if she was thought of as “too smart.” In the world we live in, full of dangers both known and as yet undreamed of, is it right that women in America spend more on body image products and plastic surgery that they do on higher education? Is it right that the media machines we have created and condoned can engage in the “symbolic annihilation” of one of the countries’ great resources—our young women? MISS REPRESENTATION presents a thought-provoking and sobering case for change. Hopefully, it will be seen by many young women and perhaps awaken in them the same desire for social evolution that previously had been directed at buying the latest pair of jeans.

Showtimes
Saturday, November 12th at 7:00pm – Plaza Frontenac

GIVE A DAMN? was originally reviewed during the St. Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase.

As the wealthiest nation in the world, it’s difficult to define exactly what our role as individuals to the poorest nations in the world should be. To a great extent, this is a decision that has to be made by the individual. Keep this thought in your mind while watching GIVE A DAMN? Native Saint Louisan Dan Parris did while making the film, the title of which is a question, not a statement.

Parris, an average guy with what might be called an average devotion to his faith, made a decision to experience poverty and hunger, so that he could better understand exactly what his place can and potentially should be in the fight against the epidemic. However, as any wise person would do, he decided not to take on this adventure alone.

Dan enlists his friend Rob Lehr, a former minister who has lost his faith and become a rather pessimistic and angry atheist. Rob is reluctant, bitter about the very idea of considering he is somehow responsible for the lives of impoverished people in a country far from his own, but he chooses to join Dan anyway, if nothing else, for the first-hand experience of seeing true poverty for himself.

Dan is grateful for Rob’s participation, but needs a spiritual companion. He approaches his friend David Peterka, a devout Christian and a free-spirited wild card. David could be described as the unknown Christian member of the JACKASS films that’s high on life and open to just about anything adventurous. Immediately, it becomes apparent that Rob and David would not always see eye to eye, adding an additional layer of depth to the story.

And, so the journey begins. Dan, along with Rob and David, his own personal devil and angel on his shoulders, begin in Saint Louis and set out to hitchhike across the Unites States, Europe, and finally end up in Kenya, all on only $1.25 per day for food, lodging and transportation. Needless-to-say, this plan is not without its inevitable hiccups. Relative to the entire experience, their time in the United States is a cakewalk, compared to their time in Africa.

Let’s jump ahead a bit, progressing in the film to roughly the halfway point. This is when things get serious, and the story becomes truly compelling. Up to this point, we’ve been primarily focused on the physical journey, but when Dan and Rob barely survive a deadly plane crash in the African slums, the film splits into two parallel stories. Dan sustains injuries serious enough that force him to return to the United States, creating a secondary story arc, as David and another friend continue on their quest to live on $1.25 a day in Africa. This is where the heart and soul of the film emerges, grabs hold of the viewer and makes its most significant impact.

The cast and crew are literally one and the same, in true indie fashion, giving the story a very personal touch. While the film is technically still a work in progress at the time of this screening, it doesn’t feel incomplete. The story is well structured, just non-linear enough to add anticipation and lock in the viewer’s interest. The beginning of the film does feel a bit more like a television documentary series, but this quickly subsides. The only thing I can honestly pick out, as needing improvement in the film, are select areas where the audio could be tweaked, but the film is otherwise extremely satisfying.

Of course GIVE A DAMN? has visually emotional footage. How could it not contain some imagery, given the subject matter? One of the things the film has working in it’s favor is Parris’ conscious decision not to approach the project in a preachy fashion. Viewing the film never feels like a sermon, never feels like a non-profit infomercial, but more importantly throws varying points-of-view out into the open for the viewer to collect, sort, analyze and use for making their own decision. Yes, there are moments when God and religion take on a slightly more prevalent role, but rarely in such a direct and matter-of-fact fashion that may turn portions of the audience off. In this way, the film succeeds not only in promoting their cause, but also in calling out those who claim to support the cause.

When considering the scale of the experiment, taken on by three guys with virtually no budget and even less understanding of what they’re getting into, GIVE A DAMN? is a tremendous accomplishment. As harsh as this may sound on the surface, I believe the tragic plane crash may have actually been a blessing in disguise, despite the loss of two lives in the process. I do not wish to put words in the mouths of the filmmakers, but I can imagine they would agree with this statement, on some level. I know the film will have a lasting impression on my own outlook on the world. I hope you too will take the time to see the film, and ask yourself if you GIVE A DAMN?

For many years one of the pleasures of going to a screening of the different traveling animation festivals ( Spike and Mike, the Animation Tournee ) was seeing a new film from one of the medium’s wildest , most outrageous artists, Bill Plympton. Well this year St. Louis Film Festival attendees get a double treat. The recipient of a SLIFF lifetime achievement award will be here to present a program of works on Friday night and debut a new documentary directed by Alexa Anastasio on his life and films, ADVENTURES IN PLYMPTOONS, the next day ( Oh, and a master class earlier that day ). The documentary serves as a great introduction for Plympton newbies while giving some great insight into the films that we long-time fans have so adored.

The film includes much biographical info on the artist. There are lots of great family photos and home movie footage. Siblings, relatives, and class mates tell great old stories as does the doc’s subject himself. There’s even some new art and animation to illustrate his history. Plympton shows us some of his original paintings ( some made “under the influence” ). As he makes a name for himself in cartoons we meet some of his collaborators ( at last the voice singing ” Your Face” ), celeb pals ( Ed Begley, Jr. and Keith Carradine ), animation legends ( Terry Gilliam and Ralph Bakshi ) and toon historians and critics ( Jerry Beck and a fella named W. F. Murton, who hates everything Plympton’s done ). Finally we’re treated to a tour of his New York studio along with some rough animation footage. Like his best cartoon shorts, ADVENTURES IN PLYMPTOONS is full of great humor and very wacky. It’s an entrancing portrait of a man who’s still passionate about his profession. The hours he spends drawing is never work! He’d rather do that than anything else in the world! And the world of cartoons is all the richer for it!

Showtimes

Saturday, November 12th at 5:00pm – Webster U./Moore

Press Release:

Beverly Hills, CA - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that the field of Documentary Short Subject contenders for the 84th Academy Awards® has been narrowed to eight films, of which three to five will earn Oscar® nominations.

Voters from the Academy’s Documentary Branch viewed this year’s 35 eligible entries and submitted their ballots to PricewaterhouseCoopers for tabulation.

The eight films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production company.

“The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement,” Purposeful Productions, Inc.
“God Is the Bigger Elvis,” Documentress Films
“In Tahrir Square: 18 Days of Egypt’s Unfinished Revolution,” Downtown Docs
“Incident in New Baghdad,” Morninglight Films
“Pipe Dreams,” Leslie Iwerks Productions
“Saving Face,” Milkhaus/Jungefilm
“The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom,” Supply & Demand Integrated
“Witness,” Buche

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

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Oscar®-winning documentary short subject “Strangers No More” and the documentary feature “Precious Life” will screen as the next installment in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 30th annual “Contemporary Documentaries” series on Wednesday, October 19, at 7 p.m. at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. Admission to all screenings in the series is free.

Directed and produced by Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon, “Strangers No More” introduces the students from 48 countries attending the Bialik-Rogozin School in Tel Aviv, many of whom are refugees from war, as they learn to deal with the diversity of their new environment. The film received an Academy Award® for Documentary Short Subject.

“Precious Life” tells the story of a Palestinian infant with a life-threatening immune disorder awaiting a bone marrow transplant in an Israeli hospital during the 2008–09 blockade of Gaza. As filmmaker Shlomi Eldar uses his influence to seek financial help for the family, the complexities of life in the volatile area give rise to troubling exchanges between Eldar and the baby’s mother. The film was directed by Eldar and produced by Ehud Bleiberg and Yoav Ze’evi.

The 30th annual “Contemporary Documentaries” series continues through December 7, showcasing feature-length and short documentaries drawn from the 2010 Academy Award nominations, including the winners, as well as other important and innovative films considered by the Academy that year.

All films will screen at the Linwood Dunn Theater at the Academy’s Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., except for the IMAX presentation on December 7. Doors open at 6 p.m. All seating is unreserved. The filmmakers will be present at screenings whenever possible.

The Linwood Dunn Theater is located at 1313 Vine Street in Hollywood. Free parking is available through the entrance on Homewood Avenue (one block north of Fountain Avenue). For additional information, visit www.oscars.org or call (310) 247-3600.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

FOLLOW THE ACADEMY
www.oscars.org
www.facebook.com/TheAcademy
www.youtube.com/Oscars
www.twitter.com/TheAcademy

Beverly Hills, CA – Contemporary documentarians will explore the rapidly-changing landscape and increasing profile of documentary filmmaking in “The Rise of Nonfiction Movies,” the latest installment of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ John Huston Lecture series, on Wednesday, October 26, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The evening will be moderated by R.J. Cutler, producer-director of “The September Issue” (2009) and producer of “The War Room” (1993).

While information may be spreading faster and distribution choices are evolving at a dizzying pace, non-fiction filmmakers continue to find cutting-edge solutions and storytelling forms to prove that truth is often better than fiction. Despite the significant hurdles their producers and distributors often face, theatrical documentaries have gained a newfound popularity, in many cases because of their willingness to challenge the status quo and delve into the drama, humor and fascination of real life.

Panelists for the evening include Amir Bar-Lev, director of “The Tillman Story” (2010) and producer-director of “My Kid Could Paint That” (2007); Davis Guggenheim, director of “Waiting for ‘Superman’” (2010) and Oscar®-winning documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” (2006); Academy Award®-nominated documentarian Lourdes Portillo, producer of “Las Madres–The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo” (1985) and producer-director of “Señorita Extraviada” (2002); Ricki Stern, director of “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work” (2010) and “The Devil Came on Horseback” (2007), Molly Thompson, executive producer of “Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer” (2010) and “Jesus Camp” (2006); and Diane Weyermann, executive producer of “Casino Jack and the United States of Money” (2010) and “Food, Inc.” (2009).

The Academy’s John Huston Lecture on Documentary Filmmaking is named to honor Huston’s legacy as witnessed in his controversial World War II documentaries, “Report from the Aleutians” (1943), “San Pietro” (1944, withheld from release until 1945) and “Let There Be Light” (1946, suppressed from public release until 1980).

Tickets for “The Rise of Non-Fiction Movies” go on sale Monday, October 3. Tickets are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. They may be purchased online at www.oscars.org, by mail, in person at the Academy during regular business hours or, depending on availability, on the night of the program when the doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

FOLLOW THE ACADEMY
www.oscars.org
www.facebook.com/TheAcademy
www.youtube.com/Oscars
www.twitter.com/TheAcademy

Photos: Courtesy of AMPAS

Beverly Hills, CA – The 2010 Oscar® nominees “Sun Come Up” and “Waste Land” will screen as the next installment in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 30th annual “Contemporary Documentaries” series on Wednesday, October 5, at 7 p.m. at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. Admission to all screenings in the series is free.

Directed by Jennifer Redfearn, who produced the film with Tim Metzger, “Sun Come Up” tells the story of the 3,000 residents of the Carteret Islands who face hunger and relocation as the effects of global warming transform their South Pacific paradise. The film earned an Academy Award® nomination for Documentary Short Subject.

“Waste Land” documents the lives of garbage pickers scavenge among the mountains of discarded materials in Brazil’s Jardim Gramacho, the world’s largest landfill. Brazilian artist Vik Muniz, who uses trash to create his work, travels to the landfill to photograph the people whose livelihood is dependent on the things that others throw away. Directed by Lucy Walker and produced by Angus Aynsley and Hank Levine, the film earned an Academy Award® nomination for Documentary Feature. Walker will be present to take questions from the audience following the screening.

The 30th annual “Contemporary Documentaries” series continues through December 7, showcasing feature-length and short documentaries drawn from the 2010 Academy Award® nominations, including the winners, as well as other important and innovative films considered by the Academy that year.

All films will screen at the Linwood Dunn Theater at the Academy’s Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., except for the IMAX presentation on December 7. Doors open at 6 p.m. All seating is unreserved. The filmmakers will be present at screenings whenever possible.

The Linwood Dunn Theater is located at 1313 Vine Street in Hollywood. Free parking is available through the entrance on Homewood Avenue (one block north of Fountain Avenue). For additional information, visit www.oscars.org or call (310) 247-3600.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

FOLLOW THE ACADEMY
www.oscars.org
www.facebook.com/TheAcademy
www.youtube.com/Oscars
www.twitter.com/TheAcademy

Where is God? What is soul? What is spirituality? You’ll find the answer to none of those questions in the ambitiously titled but shallow IN SEARCH OF GOD, a documentary about a young girl’s quest for spiritual enlightenment and her attempt to see what different religions have in common. Composer-turned-filmmaker Rupam Sarmah’s film is well-intentioned and handsomely produced but only as incisive as the subject he chose for his cameras to follow; a woman  about as deep as a puddle after a sun-shower.

Kavita Srinivasan came to the US from India as a young teen, now a recent MIT grad with a degree in architecture living in L.A. trying to break into showbiz. A foxy, self-confident “party girl”, her life revolves around looking good, shopping, and partying with her attractive, like-minded friends. But the poor girl concludes that, despite this privileged lifestyle, “I didn’t have anything going for me”. There are photos of her and her pals bar-hopping but she claims all she sees in life is “dis-connectedness and unhappiness” (I’m sure her father is thrilled that she feels the desire to “escape the rat race” at this point in her young life). The expat Hindi claims to be confused by religion so returns to her ancestral homeland to find something meaningful and decide for herself if there is any great religious unity in this world. She travels to Majuli, a river island in the northeastern state of Assam that is rich with temples, monasteries, and gurus. Once there, she is led around (in her high heels) by her guide Ram, a young monk (“he was much cuter than the monks I’d seen on TV” Kavita gushes) who acts as her translator. There she discovers a enchanting wonderland where culture is expressed with performing arts through centuries of tradition in music, dance, and simple living. Along her adventure, Kavita encounters an array of beguiling holy men from whom she seeks religious advice. Fascinated by this culture and religion, she takes her heels off and gradually finds her heart awakening to something she finds remarkably profound: poor people can be happy too!

Kavita (who’s “always had respect for Gandhi’s message”) feels a curious and immediate kinship to these people, who (as she keeps repeating) look “so happy despite having so little”. The first day she’s there she claims “My heart felt such liberation and inhibited joy”. Actually, the folks that Kavita asks questions of, like “How can you be so content with the simple life” don’t seem that down and out. Their villages are clean and vital, the people healthy and well-nourished, their traditional garb beautiful, sparkling clean and not cheap-looking and I’d be surprised if she’s not in the middle of one of the more touristy areas of the country. At least Kavita is able to get a better understanding of herself by blogging away on her PowerBook inside her bamboo hut so I’m glad to know her new perspective has internet access. She then interviews (mostly through Ram) a series of clerics and gurus, asking some basic questions about religion leading to a series of dull bromides and platitudes (some quite lengthy – some not; “How might I better understand the God within me?”…..”Close your eyes and listen”). Her response to these answers is to say “Awww”, smile, and gaze wistfully. Kavita and her hunk monk Ram spend time walking the beach discussing philosophy (no romance though – he’s a vowed celibate! Darn!). These scenes and a few others with her conversing not only feel staged but were apparently shot without sound so the dialog is awkwardly and unconvincingly dubbed in. In the plus column, IN SEARCH OF GOD is attractively lensed by cinematographer Suraj Dowerah, the musical performances by the natives are arresting, and best of all it runs a mercifully brief 60 minutes.

If you dip your cup into the well of spirituality that is IN SEARCH OF GOD, you’re likely to come up empty but the movie world is a fickle one. The sun will set tonight and the mystery and questions surrounding the existence of God will continue. If you want to see traditional Indian performers – dancers and musicians, then IN SEARCH OF GOD may have something to offer, but if you’re searching for a glimpse of a higher plane of being, THE TREE OF LIFE comes out on DVD and blu-ray October 11th.

Overall Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Beverly Hills, CA - Thursday, September 15, 5 p.m. is the deadline for filmmakers to submit documentary features to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration for the 84th Academy Awards®.

To be eligible, the documentaries must complete seven-day commercial runs in both Los Angeles County and the Borough of Manhattan in New York between September 1, 2010, and December 31, 2011. (The September 1 to December 31 period is one-time only; in future years, eligibility will follow only the calendar year.) For films completing their qualifying runs by August 15, all paperwork must be completed and received by the Academy no later than 30 days after the end of the qualifying runs. For films completing their qualifying runs after August 15, all paperwork, including legal contracts, must be completed and received by the Academy by the September 15 deadline.
Each completed entry form must be accompanied by supporting materials, including an English-language synopsis of the film, a list of film credits, filmographies of the director(s) and producer(s) when applicable, 30 DVD copies of the film, and proof of seven-day qualifying exhibitions.

Additional information about the documentary awards categories may be obtained by visiting http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/rules/rule12.html or contacting assistant awards coordinator Michelle Ayala at (310) 247-3000, ext. 1117, or via e-mail at mayala@oscars.org.

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

FOLLOW THE ACADEMY
www.oscars.org
www.facebook.com/TheAcademy
www.youtube.com/Oscars
www.twitter.com/TheAcademy