September 2, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Leslie Unger - (310) 247-3000
                        lunger@oscars.org

Beverly Hills, CA - The still-evolving concepts of what defines a film as "African American" will be the subject of a panel discussion at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday, September 18, at 8 p.m. Moderated by New York Times and National Public Radio film critic Elvis Mitchell, the event is presented in conjunction with the "Close Up in Black: African American Film Posters" exhibition now on display at the California African American Museum in Exposition Park.

Joining Mitchell for "An Academy Discussion: Understanding and Redefining African American Film" will be Dr. Edward Mapp, the historian and collector whose donation of over 1,000 posters to the Academy's Margaret Herrick Library made the creation of the exhibition possible. Also scheduled to participate are producer/composer Quincy Jones, producer/director Ed Zwick, whose credits include "Glory," "Courage under Fire" and "The Siege," and director Reginald Hudlin, whose credits include "House Party," "Boomerang" and "The Great White Hope."

The participants will discuss where we are heading in terms of our cultural output and our understanding of the role that race plays in our mainstream media today. A variety of historic and contemporary film clips will be presented to illustrate various aspects of the topic.

"Close Up in Black: African American Film Posters" was organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), in collaboration with the Smithsonian's Anacostia Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Academy. It includes 90 visually engaging posters from the Edward Mapp Collection in the Academy's Margaret Herrick Library. Originally designed for promotion and publicity, the posters showcase the opulent energy and glamour of the movies, even as they reveal our cultural history. "Close Up in Black" will continue at the California African American Museum through October 11. This will be the exhibition's only Los Angeles stop on its two-and-one-half-year national tour. The Museum is located at 600 State Drive in Exposition Park. Admission is free, parking is $6. For more information about the exhibition call 213-744-7432 or visit www.caam.ca.gov.

Tickets for "An Academy Discussion" are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members. They may be purchased in advance beginning September 2 at the Academy during regular business hours, by mail, or on the night of the event when the doors open at 7 p.m. The Academy is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information call 310-247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.