Oscar Night America - USA Film Festival

Dallas, Texas – The excitement and glamour of Hollywood comes to Dallas on Oscar Night. Residents of Dallas can experience the thrills and surprises of the 84th Academy Awards® on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at Dallas’ own Oscar Night America party.

 

The Dallas event is one of 49 official parties sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that will be held across the country on Oscar Night.

Benefiting the USA Film Festival’s KidFilm outreach programs, Dallas’ Oscar Night celebration will be held at the Studio Movie Grill, 11170 N. Central Expressway, Dallas, beginning at 6:00pm (doors open; Awards telecast begins at 7:00pm CT). Tickets are now on sale at the USA Film Festival by telephone 214-821-6300 or email usafilmfest@aol.com.

 

The Dallas audience will watch the Academy Awards telecast on a large theater screen courtesy of WFAA TV, the Dallas affiliate of the ABC Television Network, which broadcasts the Academy Awards presentation. This is the 19th year that the Academy and ABC have cooperated with local charities to support official Oscar Night viewing parties throughout the country. This year marks the 16th year that the Festival’s Dallas event has been sanctioned by the Academy.

 

Official Oscar Night parties last year raised more than $3.5 million through 51 charities across the country. All money raised stays in the local community.

 

"Oscar night is an event meant to be a shared with others. This network of fundraising parties across the nation is a natural extension of that experience, and also represents the yearround philanthropic work the Academy does,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “This February we are thrilled to be able to celebrate the movies with fans nationwide while supporting charities around the country."

 

The Academy will provide party guests in Dallas the same official program distributed to guests at the Oscar® presentation at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood. Dallas guests will also be served Sofia sparkling wine from Francis Ford CoppolaWinery, dinner from the Studio Movie Grill, and desserts from Wolfgang Puck Catering. Guests can also participate in a live auction featuring movie memorabilia and more.

 

Tickets to the Dallas event are $75 and $45. To purchase tickets, contact the USA Film Festival at 214-821-6300 or usafilmfest@aol.com

 

“Oscar Night® generates excitement all over the world,” said Susan Haddad, Co-Chairman of Oscar Night America Dallas. “With the Academy’s help, our guests will feel like they have the inside track on the Awards show. We had an incredibly enthusiastic turnout last year and hope to raise even more money for the Festival’s programs this year.”

 

Co-Chairman Laura Fox Williamson added, “And this year, we have a new twist to the Dallas event – Guests can wear PJs to the party!” Williamson explained, “For years, the Dallas party has been a black-tie or cocktail attire affair. But we also know that lots of people love to watch the show at home in their PJs, so this year we decided to further up the fun factor by encouraging guests to walk the red carpet in either evening wear or pajamas.”

 

“We are especially pleased to welcome Wolfgang Puck Catering and Francis Ford Coppola Winery to our Dallas event this year” said Co-Chairman Kristin Carter Schor.  “Everybody knows that Chef Wolfgang Puck caters the prestigious Governors Ball following the Awards program. For the last 17 years we have watched him and his army of cooks prepare to feed the stars after the show, and drooled over everything on the menu! It will be such a treat to have a taste of his wonderful desserts at our party in Dallas.”   Schor continued, “The great director Francis Ford Coppola is also well known for his fine winery in California wine country.” Schor continued, “We are thrilled to be able to include their sparkling wine “Sofia” -- named for Coppola’s Oscar-winning daughter – to toast this year’s Oscar event.”

 

“The USA Film Festival is proud to be a part of Oscar Night America” said USA Film Festival Board President Dave Perry-Miller. “The support that this program has generated for the Festival’s programs every year has been phenomenal. Because of this support, the Festival has been able to provide arts-in-education programs for thousands of DISD students and educators every year.”

 

Presenting Sponsors for the Dallas Oscar Party are Dave Perry-Miller & Associates, Gaedeke Group, Studio Movie Grill, Wolfgang Puck Catering and Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

 

Now in its 42nd year, the USA Film Festival is a Dallas-based, 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the encouragement and recognition of excellence in the film and video arts. The Festival’s year-round programs and events include monthly screenings, the annual KidFilm®, special tributes and premieres, and the annual USA Film Festival held in the Spring. The USA Film Festival is supported, in part, by the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs and the Texas Commission on the Arts.