PLANS SET FOR CLEVELAND OSCAR NIGHT® AMERICA 2005
NEW VENUE TAPPED TO ACCOMMODATE GROWING LOCAL CHARITY EVENT

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

(Cleveland, Ohio) Jan. 18, 2005—Next month Clevelanders will enjoy a local
opportunity to
celebrate the glamour and achievement of the 77th Academy Awards® ceremony,
thanks
to Oscar Night® America, the grassroots charity program of the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences. The public, live viewing event is set for Sunday,
Feb. 27, 2005 at
7 p.m. and features a new location to support what's expected to be a
record-breaking
crowd for Oscar Night® America in Cleveland.

Last year Cleveland Oscar Night® America saw its largest crowd yet, with over
300 patrons
supporting the cause. To support the event's increasing popularity, local
organizers
tapped the city's historic Grays Armory as its venue of choice. Cleveland Oscar
Night®
America 2005 is produced by Christopher G. Axelrod and directed by Redwin Lewis.

"Cleveland Oscar Night® America has evolved from a more casual affair to an
annual,
must-attend social gala," Lewis says. "Our city has a long tradition of
supporting all types
of art, and the growth of this event is one more sign of that ongoing
commitment."

"Oscar Night® has always been a night for friends and families to gather and
cheer for
their favorite films and stars," says Ric Robertson, executive administrator of
the Academy
of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. "This nationwide network of fundraising
parties is a
natural extension of that shared experience."

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 film-making 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 will be situated throughout the venue. Caterer
Clark Pope
says "patrons will enjoy an eclectic array of hearty hors d'oeuvres and elegant
desserts on
par with a grand Hollywood gala." 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,
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