Record Number of Entries for 2009 Student Academy Awards®

Beverly Hills, CA - A record 559 entries, from students representing 103 U.S. colleges and universities, are in competition for the 2009 Student Academy Awards. In addition, a record 57 entries from 39 countries have submitted in the Honorary Foreign Film award category; the pool includes first-ever entries from Egypt and Estonia. The competition – now in its 36th year – will culminate in the presentation of trophies and prize money on Saturday, June 13, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

The Academy established the Student Academy Awards in 1972 to support and encourage excellence in filmmaking at the collegiate level. Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal awards may be presented in each of four categories: Animation, Narrative, Documentary and Alternative. Additionally, one film is selected each year to receive the Honorary Foreign Film award.

A complete list of schools and countries represented in the competition is available at http://www.oscars.org/awards/saa/entrants.html.