Beverly Hills, Calif. (RUSHPRNEWS) 09/17/2008–The annual online drawing for some of the most sought-after seats of the year is about to get underway. Beginning on Monday, September 22, at noon ET/9 a.m. PT, and continuing for only one week, fans may apply on Oscars.org to win seats on the Academy Awards® red carpet. There are only 300 seats available along the 500-foot-long walkway that leads into the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®.
 The lucky winners will watch and cheer Oscar nominees, presenters and other ceremony guests as they arrive at the 81st Academy Awards on Sunday, February 22, 2009. Following the red carpet arrivals, the winners will be invited to watch the Academy Awards telecast at a nearby location.
The application form will be available at www.oscars.org/bleachers. The online-only application process will close on Sunday, September 28, at 9 p.m. PT.
To be eligible for the random drawing, an individual must complete the application form in its entirety. Applications may only be submitted online. Forms may not be returned via U.S. mail, fax or private delivery service such as UPS or FedEx.
Applicants may register up to four persons; however, only one form will be accepted per person or group.
Those whose names are selected in the random drawing will be notified in early October. They will then be required to submit additional information for security purposes prior to final approval. Eligible attendees will receive a confirmation letter in early December with information pertinent to the event.
Only those individuals who have been pre-approved by the Academy will have access to the bleachers. Those who wait overnight to attempt admittance will not be granted entry.
The Academy will not be responsible for securing travel and/or hotel accommodations for winners.
In previous years, as many as 20,000 fans have applied online for the limited number of bleacher seats.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
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About the Academy
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.
©A.M.P.A.S.®
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
8949 Wilshire Boulevard Beverly Hills, CA 90211-1972
(310) 247-3000 | www.oscars.org | publicity@oscars.org
CONTACT: Teni Melidonian – (310) 247-3090
tmelidonian@oscars.org
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photo courtesy ©A.M.P.A.S.®