CLEVELAND OSCAR NIGHT® AMERICA GENERATING EXCITEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Annetta Marion or Bernadette Gillota, 216/651-7315

(Cleveland, Ohio) Feb. 15, 2005—"Response to Cleveland Oscar Night® America has
been
amazing," says Redwin Lewis, director of the event. "Early on", Lewis
continues, "this
year's event has received great response and recognition of area notables. It's
almost as if
this is the party Cleveland has been waiting for." The public, live viewing
event is set for
Sunday, February 27, 2005 at 7p.m. and will celebrate the glamour and
achievement of the
77th Academy Awards® ceremony.

To support the event's increasing popularity, a larger venue was required this
year.
According to Christopher G. Axelrod, the event's producer, "Grays Armory was the
natural
choice for event of this panache and scale." The doors will open at 7p.m. for
an evening
of Oscar®-winning drama and local surprises.

For the second consecutive year, proceeds from Cleveland Oscar Night America
will benefit
Independent Pictures, the leading Ohio organization dedicated to freedom of
expression
through independent media. Based in Cleveland, Independent Pictures consistently
promotes independent filmmaking through its dedicated programming and events,
including The Ohio Independent Film Festival. It boasts an independent film
school and a
film production training program to nurture artists across the state.

Inside Grays Armory on Oscar Night, the live broadcast of ceremonies from
Hollywood's
Kodak Theatre in Hollywood will be projected on three large video screens
arranged
throughout the venue, providing superior viewing and socializing opportunities
for
patrons. Several food stations featuring hearty hors d'oeuvres and elegant
desserts will be
situated throughout the venue. A cash bar will be available, as well. The
Oscars will be
televised live by the ABC Television Network at 8 p.m. EST.

Cleveland is Northeast Ohio's only sanctioned Oscar Night America city and
stands among
45 select cities nationwide chosen for the Academy's unique outreach campaign.
Other
cities include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, San
Diego, San
Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

The public may reserve tickets to Cleveland Oscar Night America for $60 each by
contacting Independent Pictures at 216/651-7315 or on the web at
www.ticketweb.com.
For additional information, email ohioindiefilmfest@... or go to
www.cona.ws.

About Oscar Night America
Oscar Night America—the sole Oscar celebration program sanctioned by the Academy
of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences—started in 1994 and has raised more than $12
million
for a range of local charities across the country during its first 10 years.
Last year, Oscar
Night America parties raised over $1.7 million in charity nationally. The
Academy approves
all charities supported by the event. The Academy Awards for outstanding film
achievements of 2004 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, at the Kodak
Theatre in
Los Angeles. The Oscars will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at
8 p.m.
EST.

About Independent Pictures
Independent Pictures (www.ohiofilms.com) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
established
in 1993. It was founded in 1993 by artistic directors Bernadette Gillota and
Annetta Marion
and maintains a rich history of bringing unique and engaging film events to
Cleveland and
surrounding communities. IP is the proud sponsor of the Ohio Independent Film
Festival,
Film Production Training Program, regional AIVF salons, Fiscal Agent Sponsorship
Program, Speakers Bureau, annual Director of Photography Workshop, and a variety
of
curatorial programs.

Independent Pictures is a member of Greater Cleveland Community Shares.
Community Shares supports 35 local nonprofits working for long-term, sustainable
solutions to build a stronger Cleveland. Learn more about Community Shares and
supporting social justice through workplace giving at www.communityshares.org.

Independent Pictures sponsors include: Association of Independent Video &
Filmmakers,
Audio Visual Rentals, The Cleveland Foundation, Cleveland Public Theatre,
Community
Shares of Greater Cleveland, Filmmaker Magazine, The George Gund Foundation,
Marriott
Residence Inn, Media Design Imaging, National Endowment for the Arts, The Offset
Theory, Ohio Arts Council and Sherwin Williams.

Independent Pictures
1392 West 65th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44102
(216) 651-7315
(216) 651-7317 fax
OhioIndieFilmFest@...
http://www.ohiofilms.com