Foreign Language Film Directors To Take the Stage at Oscar® Week Symposium

February 4, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Teni Melidonian – (310) 247-3090
tmelidonian@oscars.org

Foreign Language Film Directors To Take the Stage at Oscar® Week Symposium

Beverly Hills, CA — Filmmakers from Austria, France, Germany, Israel and Japan will participate in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ annual Foreign Language Film Award Nominees Symposium on Saturday, February 21, at 10 a.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

Moderated by Foreign Language Film chair Mark Johnson (“Rain Man,” “The Chronicles of Narnia”), the program will feature the directors (subject to availability) of this year’s nominated foreign language films in a live onstage discussion addressing such issues as art, politics and the challenges of their profession.

The two-hour event will also present clips from all of the nominated films.

The 2008 Foreign Language Film nominees are:

Austria, “Revanche,” Götz Spielmann, director
France, “The Class,” Laurent Cantet, director
Germany, “The Baader Meinhof Complex,” Uli Edel, director
Israel, “Waltz with Bashir,” Ari Folman, director
Japan, “Departures,” Yojiro Takita, director

Admission is free, but advance tickets are required. This event is sold out. A standby line will form at the theater’s west doors on the day of the event. Standby numbers will be assigned at approximately 8 a.m. Any available tickets will be distributed shortly before the program begins.

The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Doors open at 9 a.m. All seating is unreserved. For more information, please call the Academy at (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, 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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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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