November 13, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Leslie Unger - 310-247-3000

Beverly Hills, CA - Tickets are still available for a unique program examining the origins, history and influences of Japanese animated films at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tomorrow (Wednesday), November 14, at 8 p.m., in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Presented at the Seventh Marc Davis Lecture on Animation, the program will be the first time that the Davis Lecture has focused on the animation industry of a particular country and that industry's effect on world culture.

Confirmed to participate in the program are Jerry Beck, animation historian and author; Mark A. Z. Dippé, ILM Visual Effects Supervisor and director of "Spawn;" Kunihiko Ikuhara, director of "Sailor Moon" and "Revolutionary Girl Utena;" Eric Goldberg, director of "Pocahontas" and two segments of "Fantasia 2000;" Lisa Atkinson, production consultant; and Fred Patten of Streamline Pictures, a distributor of anime in the U.S.

In addition to discussion, the evening will include numerous film clips from such seminal films as "Akira," "Ghost in the Shell," "Princess Mononoke," "Perfect Blue," "Laputa: Castle in the Sky" and "Pon Poko."

The evening will also provide attendees with a sneak preview of "Metropolis," scheduled for release next year, as well as the chance to see the five-minute trailer for Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away," which has broken boxoffice records in Japan. The film does not yet have a U.S. release date.

The Marc Davis Lecture on Animation, named for the animator who was one of Disney's legendary "Nine Old Men," was established in 1993 to provide a forum for established film animators and other experts in the craft to share their experiences as well as to explore with colleagues the challenges of creating animation for the screen.

Tickets for the Seventh Marc Davis Lecture on Animation are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with valid identification. They may be purchased in advance today and tomorrow, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or tomorrow when the doors open at 7 p.m. The Academy is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Please note that this event examines many different styles and genres of Japanese animation. Some excerpts may be too violent or explicit for children. For more information, call
310-247-3600.