September 10, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Leslie Unger - (310) 247-3000

Beverly Hills, CA - A four-part seminar examining the evolving world of the theatrical documentary will be presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, beginning October 3, at 7 p.m., in the Academy's Little Theater. Subsequent sessions will take place on the next three consecutive Wednesday evenings.

"Theatrical Documentaries in the Digital Age" is the first seminar devoted to the non-fiction form to be presented by the Academy and is intended to serve as a celebration of the Academy's new Documentary Branch, as well as to provide a detailed look at a variety of issues.

Following are the topics to be addressed and the scheduled participants (subject to availability):

• October 3 - Finding the Story, with Academy Governor Freida Lee Mock ("Return with Honor," "Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision"), Bill Guttentag ("Crack USA: County under Seige," "Blues Highway"), Lynne Littman ("In Her Own Time," "Number Our Days") and Robert Epstein ("The Times of Harvey Milk," "Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt").
• October 10 - What's Innovation and What's Cheating?, featuring Alec Lorimore ("The Living Sea," "Dolphins"), Mark Harris ("Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport") and R.J. Cutler ("The War Room," "A Perfect Candidate").
• October 17 - Finding an Audience Without Losing Your Soul, featuring Arthur Dong ("Licensed to Kill," "Coming Out under Fire"), Arnold Schwartzman ("Liberation," "Genocide") and Victoria Mudd ("Broken Rainbow").
• October 24 - The Documentary Team, with cinematographer Buddy Squires ("The Statue of Liberty," "Brooklyn Bridge"), composer Charles Bernstein ("Rose Kennedy," "Return with Honor"), editor Richard Chew ("The Redwoods," "The Foreigners"), producer Terry Sanders ("Never Give Up: The 20th Century Odyssey of Herbert Zipper") and marketer Nancy Willen ("Sound and Fury," "Speaking in Strings").

Registration for the series is $80 for the general public, $60 for Academy members and students with valid identification. Interested individuals may register in person at the Academy during regular business hours or by mail. The Academy is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information, call 310-247-3000, ext. 111.