Variety has announced the launch of the sixth annual Los Angeles Screening Series and the first-ever New York Screening Series.
The L.A. Screening Series kicked off this week with a showing of Sony Pictures Classics Rachel Getting Married, followed by a Q&A with stars Anne Hathaway and Rosemarie Dewitt as well as writer Jenny Lumet. The New York Screening Series opened with Focus Features’Burn After Reading, followed by Miramax’s Blindness featuring a Q&A with director Fernando Meirelles and stars Gael Garcia Bernal, Danny Glover and Mark Ruffalo.
Other films in the series include:
- The Duchess
- Happy Go Lucky
- I’ve Loved You So Long
- The Soloist
- Milk
- Synecdoche, New York
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Frost/Nixon
The series will spotlight at least 40 of the award show season’s most anticipated films from major and independent studios through the end of the year. Each screening will be accompanied by a Q&A with directors, writers, producers and/or cast members. The screenings will be held at ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood and Landmark’s Sunshine Theatre in New York.
“We’re excited to showcase some of this year’s top films to the voting members of the entertainment community in Los Angeles and New York,” said Neil Stiles, President and Publisher, Variety. “The Screening Series demonstrates Variety’s commitment to igniting the conversation around award contenders and creating additional momentum and buzz.”
The Screening Series is open to voting members of various guilds. For more information and to RSVP, visit: www.varietyscreeningseries.com.
IndieVest is the presenting sponsor of Variety’s 2008 Screening Series. L.A. sponsors include Cunard Line, Dell, LinkedIn, Stella Artois and Verizon. New York sponsors include Cunard, Stella Artois and the West Hollywood Marketing and Visitors Bureau.
About Variety
Variety is the leading publication for entertainment news, recognized and respected throughout the world of show business. The Variety Group–Daily Variety, Daily Variety Gotham, Weekly Variety and Variety.com–are all owned by Reed Business Information (RBI), the largest business publisher in the U.S. RBI is a member of the Reed Elsevier Group plc (NYSE: RUK and ENL).
About IndieVest
IndieVest is an independent film studio, distributor and financier, with a member community of high net-worth investors, whose mission is to identify, produce and distribute high-potential independent films. Uniting an exclusive community of qualified film enthusiasts with an independent film studio, IndieVest provides members with unique access to all the passion and excitement of the independent film industry. The Indie Insider Advisory Board includes Don Cheadle, Liev Schreiber and Tim Blake Nelson. To learn more about IndieVest, visit www.indievest.com.
About Cunard Line
Cunard Line, operator of the luxury ocean liners Queen Mary 2, QE2 and Queen Victoria, is recognized as the most iconic British ocean liner company in the world and has long offered the only way to cross the Atlantic for scores of civilized adventurers, celebrities and royalty alike. Synonymous with the quest for new discoveries and the epitome of refined elegance, today Cunard continues a 168-year tradition of historic voyages and transatlantic travel. Cunard voyages bring together like-minded travelers who relish the hallmarks of impeccable White Star ServiceTM, fine dining, entertainment and intellectual pursuits.
About LinkedIn
LinkedIn takes your personal business network online, giving you access to people, jobs and opportunities like never before. Built upon trusted connections and relationships, LinkedIn has established the world’s largest and most powerful business network. Currently, over 27 million professionals are on LinkedIn, representing all five hundred of the Fortune 500 companies, as well as a wide range of household names in technology, financial services, media, consumer packaged goods, entertainment, fashion, and numerous other industries. LinkedIn is backed by world-class investors including Sequoia Capital, Greylock Partners, the European Founders Fund, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Bain Capital Ventures.
About West Hollywood Marketing & Visitors Bureau
Only in West Hollywood will the business or leisure traveler find 14 distinctive hotels ranging from the grand art deco to the intimately discreet, 30+ world-class galleries, the glittering Sunset Strip, and critically acclaimed dining all within 1.9 pedestrian-friendly square miles. The primary focus of the West Hollywood Convention & Visitors Bureau is to attract visitors to our dynamic city, through aggressive public relations, sales, marketing, and advertising campaigns. The WHCVB is also committed to playing an integral role in the creation, promotion, and execution of the city’s legendary events. Visit our website at www.visitwesthollywood.com or call us at 800.368.6020.
About Dell
Dell Inc. listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its direct business model, Dell is a leading global systems and services company and No. 34 on the Fortune 500.
About Stella Artois
Stella Artois traces its origin back to 1366 to a brewery called Den Hoorn, located in Leuven, a town just outside of Brussels. In 1717, master brewer Sebastian Artois purchased the brewery and renamed it to his namesake. The Artois Brewery created a special brew to celebrate Christmas and named it Stella (Latin for star) for its exceptional clarity. Today, Stella Artois is the gold standard for European lagers with its distinctive flavor and spicy hop character. Imported and distributed in the United States by Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Stella Artois launched a redesigned Web site in 2007 that further strengthened the brand’s ties to the film industry. The site opens with a short film titled La Bouteille, which serves as navigation for the site, and features a series of film vignettes that tell the Stella Artois story. The site can be found at www.stellaartois.com.
Contacts:
Kate Mazzuca, 323-965-2465
Kate.mazzuca@variety.com
or
Freud
Communications
Karlyn Nelson, 323-866-6060
karlyn.nelson@freud.com
