Academy’s Contemporary Documentaries Series Explores Sea and Space at IMAX

Beverly Hills, CA — “Deep Sea 3D,” “Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D” and “Roving Mars” will screen as part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 26th annual “Contemporary Documentaries” series on Wednesday, November 28, at 7 p.m. at the California Science Center’s IMAX Theatre in Los Angeles. Admission is free.

Directed by Howard Hall and produced by Toni Myers and Michele Hall, “Deep Sea 3D” celebrates the oceans’ biodiversity at a time when overfishing is decimating one species after another. Captivating stories of sea animals and their symbiotic interactions within complex marine communities reveal how critical such diversity is to the health of the planet. Myers and Hall will be present to answer audience questions.

“Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D,” directed by Mark Cowen and produced by Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Cowen, showcases the past, present and future of space exploration through a combination of newly revealed photographs, previously unreleased NASA footage and CGI renditions of the lunar landscape. The film immerses audiences in the life-changing experiences of the 12 Apollo astronauts who walked on the moon – what these men saw, heard, felt and thought while spending precious hours on the lunar surface. Cowen will attend and participate in a discussion with audience members.

Directed by George Butler and produced by Frank Marshall and Butler, “Roving Mars” documents the remarkable mission that sent two intrepid robotic explorers – Spirit and Opportunity – to the Red Planet to see what no man has seen before, thus fulfilling centuries-old dreams of examining Earth’s nearest planetary neighbor. Associate producer Tara Grace will field questions about the production.

The IMAX screenings conclude the first part of the “Contemporary Documentaries” series which presented several of the 2006 Academy Award®-nominated films as well as other documentaries considered by the Academy that year. The series will resume in March 2008 and continue through June.

The California Science Center’s IMAX Theatre is located at 700 State Drive in Exposition Park, near downtown Los Angeles. All seating is unreserved. For IMAX information, visit www.californiasciencecenter.org. For additional information, visit www.oscars.org or call (310) 247-3600.