May 22,  2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  John Pavlik - (310) 247-3000

New York City, NY - Patrick Harrison has been appointed New York Events Director for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Executive Director Bruce Davis announced today.

For the past five years Harrison has been Manager of Awards and Special Events at Miramax Pictures where he managed campaigns on titles such as "Shakespeare In Love," "The English Patient" and "Life Is Beautiful." He had previously worked for the Academy in Beverly Hills in the office of Academy Executive Administrator Ric Robertson.

Harrison replaces Richard Wilson, who opened the New York office and held the post for two years. Wilson has returned to the Academy's Beverly Hills headquarters and a position in Davis' office.

New York-area events include membership screenings, voting screenings of each year's Documentary, Short Film and Foreign Language nominees for members and an annual Oscar Night^® party, held this year at Le Cirque. The Academy has more than 600 members in the New York area, Davis said.

Harrison will work closely with Arthur Manson, a Public Relations Branch member who chairs the organization's New York Events Committee. On Harrison's immediate schedule is a May 31 New York reprise of a centennial tribute to Gary Cooper held by the Academy earlier this month in Beverly Hills.