Academy Awards

Beverly Hills, CA, June 23, 2008 – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 105 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2008 to the Academy’s roster of voting members.

“These individuals are all incredibly talented and a credit to the world of filmmaking,” said Academy President Sid Ganis. “They exemplify the high standards of the Academy and I welcome each and every one of them to our ranks.”    » read more »

Beverly Hills, CA, June 19, 2008 –– The governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences approved the rules for the 81st Academy Awards® at their Tuesday evening (6/17) meeting. The only significant changes were in the Music – Original Song category. Other modifications of the rules include normal date changes and minor “housekeeping” changes.

Three items of note were altered in the Original Song rules. First, while there continues to be no limit on the number of songs from a given film that can be submitted for consideration, no more than two songs from any one film may be nominated for an Academy Award.    » read more »

Beverly Hills, CA ,May 27, 2008 -- The 1997 Best Picture nominee “Good Will Hunting” will be screened as the next feature in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ “Great To Be Nominated” series. The story of a mathematical genius searching for purpose in his South Boston life will screen on Monday, June 2, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Following the screening, editor Pietro Scalia, producer Lawrence Bender, co-producer Chris Moore, and production designer Melissa Stewart will participate in a discussion about the film.    » read more »

March 10, 2008, Beverly Hills, CA — The deadline for U.S. student filmmakers to submit their films for consideration in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 35th Student Academy Awards is Tuesday, April 1. The Student Academy Awards is a national annual competition designed to recognize and encourage promising new filmmakers.    » read more »

21 February 2008, Los Angeles (By Mike O'Sullivan) -- The stars will be out in Hollywood Sunday for the highlight of the year in the movie industry, presentation of the Academy Awards, known as Oscars. Mike O'Sullivan looks ahead to the celebration.    » read more »

February 20, 2008, Beverly Hills, CA — Holding onto dreams of future Oscar® glory, 50 students from Inner-City Filmmakers (ICF), a training and film industry job development program, will carry the Oscar statuettes for the 80th Academy Awards® down the red carpet and into the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® on Saturday, February 23, at 10 a.m.    » read more »

February 20, 2008, Beverly Hills, CA — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will kick off its March calendar of public events with “The Art of Sound,” an evening celebrating the Oscar® nominees and winners from the 2007 Sound Editing and Sound Mixing categories, on Saturday, March 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.    » read more »

February 18, 2008, Beverly Hills, CA — Academy Award® nominees, presenters and performers will be greeted on Oscar’s red carpet on Sunday, February 24, by film historian, television host and Hollywood Reporter columnist Robert Osborne, Academy President Sid Ganis announced today. Red carpet guest arrivals are expected to begin at approximately 3 p.m. PT and conclude at the start of the Oscar® telecast at 5 p.m. PT.    » read more »

February 15, 2008, Beverly Hills, CA –– Regis Philbin, who will host the official 30-minute red carpet arrivals show preceding the 80th Academy Awards® presentation, will be joined by co-hosts Samantha Harris and Shaun Robinson, executive producer Gil Cates and producer Dennis Doty announced today.

This will be Samantha Harris’s first time working on Oscar’s Red Carpet Show and Robinson’s fourth time hailing the stars on Oscar’s behalf.    » read more »

Los Angeles, 11 February 2008 (By Mike O'Sullivan) -- Striking Hollywood writers could return to work this week to end a three-month strike that has crippled film and television production. The news raises hopes that the Academy Awards, or Oscars, may go ahead as planned February 24. Mike O'Sullivan reports, the first Oscars of the season have already been awarded for scientific and technical achievements.    » read more »

Cuba Gooding Jr.'s Spirited Acceptance Speech Takes the Number One Spot on 'VH1's 20 Greatest Oscar(R) Moments'

NEW YORK, Feb. 11 -- As hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide prepare to watch the 80th Annual Academy Awards, VH1 is counting down the most dramatic, outrageous, and unexpected moments in Oscar history. Earning the number one spot is Cuba Gooding Jr.'s over-the-top acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor for the film Jerry Maguire in 1997. Gooding was so exuberant, he even drowned out the orchestra trying to ''play him off'' the stage.    » read more »

February 11, 2008, Beverly Hills, CA — To ensure public safety, support security strategies and facilitate the production of the 80th Academy Awards® show, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the City of Los Angeles have finalized street closure plans around the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood.    » read more »

Feb. 8, 2008, Beverly Hills, CA — On Sunday, February 24, charities in 52 cities will host official Oscar® telecast viewing parties during the 80th Academy Awards® ceremony as part of Oscar Night America, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ grassroots outreach program.    » read more »

January 30, 2008, Beverly Hills, CA — Pink Martini, the 12-member pop orchestra from Portland, Oregon, will headline the entertainment at the Governors Ball, the celebration following the 80th Academy Awards® presentation on Sunday, February 24, Governors Ball Chair Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced today.

“Pink Martini is reminiscent of a Hollywood musical from the Golden Era,” said Boone Isaacs. “Their global sound will be the perfect accompaniment at this year’s Governors Ball.”    » read more »

January 28, 2008, Beverly Hills, CA — To kick off Oscar® Week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present “Shorts!,” a program featuring the 2007 Academy Award®-nominated films in the Animated and Live Action Short Film categories, on Tuesday, February 19, at 7 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

The program will feature onstage discussions with the nominated filmmakers (subject to availability).

The Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film nominees are:

Animated Short Film
“I Met the Walrus,” Josh Raskin, director    » read more »