Academy Partners With Lighthouse International On 10-Year Deal

Press Release from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

New York, November 30, 2009 --The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Lighthouse International, the premier non-profit dedicated to fighting vision loss, have concluded a new agreement that will provide an East Coast office for the Academy and a state-of-the-art theater for its extensive slate of film programs and screenings. The ten-year agreement will enable Lighthouse International to significantly upgrade and improve its theater and lobby area for screenings, exhibits, receptions and other events.

Under the new contract, which extends and expands the close relationship the two organizations have enjoyed for more than seven years, the Academy will complete the upgrade of the theater’s projection and sound systems to allow for digital cinema and 3-D presentations, as well as 35 mm projection.

Lighthouse International, through the generous contribution and support of Charles S. Cohen, a member of the Board of Directors of Lighthouse International, along with his wife, Clo Cohen, will significantly upgrade and enhance the 236-seat theater and lobby area with new furnishings, carpets and wall coverings. The renovation is expected to begin on March 1, 2010 and will be completed by late spring. At that time, the theater will be officially renamed “The Academy Theater at Lighthouse International.”

Renowned theater designer Theo Kalomirakis will provide the design services for the facility. Charles S. Cohen, a successful real estate owner and developer with properties in New York and across the country, will personally oversee the refurbishment of the theater as well as providing all funding for the project.

According to Mark G. Ackermann, President and CEO of Lighthouse International, “This new arrangement solidifies our relationship to the benefit of both organizations and enables us to greatly improve our facility for the Academy as well as for other organizations. We are deeply grateful to Charles Cohen and his wife Clo for their vision, support and generous contribution that have made this all possible. Lighthouse International will now be able to attract studio and other screenings as well as provide outstanding conference facilities throughout the year.”

Bud Rosenthal, Chairman of the Academy’s New York Events Committee, added,” We’re very pleased to be able to provide our East Coast members with a well-located, top-notch facility for our Academy screenings, industry tributes, Student Academy Awards, monthly “Monday Nights with Oscar” program and many other events. We’re also proud to continue our association with Lighthouse International, which does such wonderful work in the field of vision loss.”

About Lighthouse International

Founded in 1905, Lighthouse International is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to fighting vision loss through prevention, treatment and empowerment. It achieves this through clinical and rehabilitation services, education, research and advocacy. For more information about vision loss and its causes, contact Lighthouse International at 1-800-829-0500 or visit www.lighthouse.org [1].

About the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

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.