Month: January 2024

NATO Celebrates Oscar Nomination for Ninety-Five Senses Produced By Tori A. Baker

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THEATRE OWNERS CONGRATULATES EXHIBITOR TORI A. BAKER, OSCAR-NOMINATED FOR BEST ANIMATED SHORT  “NINETY-FIVE SENSES”
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 23, 2024 – The National Association of Theatre Owners congratulates independent film exhibitor Tori A. Baker on being nominated for an Oscar this morning in Los Angeles.  Baker was among the nominated producers for Best Animated Short Film for her production of “Ninety-Five Senses,”directed by Utah’s own Jerusha and Jared Hess (“Napoleon Dynamite,” “Nacho Libre,” the upcoming “Minecraft”).
 
Baker is the Vice Chair of The Cinema Foundation and the CEO and President of the non-profit Salt Lake Film Society, with a mission to exhibit, create and preserve cinematic experiences at the Broadway Center Cinemas and the historic 1928 Tower Theatre. Baker is also the founder of the MAST program, a media accelerator studio dedicated to finding and developing up-and-coming animators and filmmakers.
 
“You will not find anyone more passionate about cinema than Tori,” says National Association of Theatre Owners President and CEO Michael O’Leary. “Her excitement for the cinema as a community gathering place is contagious, and it’s an honor to work with her. To see her commitment to filmed entertainment result in an Oscar nomination is truly special and well-deserved. She is a champion of the arts and tireless supporter of the theatrical experience and I know that everyone in exhibition will be cheering her on at the 96th Academy Awards in March.”  
 
“Tori is one of our strongest voices in the independent cinema world,” says Bryan Braunlich, Executive Director of The Cinema Foundation. “Her dedication to the big screen is legendary. We are grateful to Tori for her hard work in helping The Cinema Foundation meet its mission to strengthen the cinema industry and engage moviegoing audiences around the country.”
 
“Congratulations to every single individual involved with ‘Ninety-Five Senses’, including the talented directing team Jerusha and Jared Hess, the incomparable Tim Blake Nelson, fellow producer Miles David Romney and undoubtedly the amazing animators,” says Baker. “When a true community collaboration comes together, brilliant things can happen. We’re thrilled that the Academy continues to recognize the importance of short film in discovering and promoting new and diverse talent to embolden the future of our industry. We will ensure that the theatrical release of ‘Ninety-Five Senses’ garners even more attention for our artists and talents.”

More information on the “Ninety-Five Senses” animators can be found here.

Learn more about the film:

The Cinema Foundation Announces National Popcorn Day,  with Major Discounts on Movie Concessions, Arriving at a Theatre Near You on January 19th

National Popcorn Day Celebrates the Joy of the Favorite Movie Snack with Discounted Pricing at Participating Theatres

LOS ANGELES – January 12, 2024 – The Cinema Foundation, in partnership with Fandango, announced the arrival of National Popcorn Day, coming to a theatre near you on Friday,  January 19th. This beloved date celebrates the joy of snacking America’s favorite concession at theatres with discounted concession prices, unlimited popcorn refills, free popcorn with the purchase of a drink and other special promotions at participating U.S. theatres. To find participating theatres and their individual offers, visit your local movie theatre’s website or app or visit Fandango.  

More than 30,000 screens across the country will participate in the one-day event featuring discounts on popcorn, and other concessions only in theatres. New movies playing in theatres include Mean Girls (Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp), The Beekeeper (Jason Statham), Ava  DuVernay’s Origin (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), Blumhouse’s Night Swim (Wyatt Russell, Kerry  Condon), The Book of Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield), I.S.S. (Ariana DeBose, Chris Messina), the theatrical re-releases of Christopher Nolan’s Golden Globe Award-Winning Oppenheimer,  Pixar’s Soul, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, plus recent holiday releases like  Wonka, The Color Purple, Migration, Hollywood’s top awards season contenders, and so much more.  

“Popcorn at the movies was first introduced 95 years ago, and it’s been an inseparable part of the moviegoing experience ever since,” says Bryan Braunlich, Executive Director of The  Cinema Foundation. “National Popcorn Day will bring together millions of film fans of all ages to  watch new movies on the big screen while enjoying their favorite theatre snacks at discounted  prices.”  

“We are excited to continue to partner with The Cinema Foundation to celebrate National  Popcorn Day in theatres nationwide,” said Jerramy Hainline, EVP of Fandango. “The  moviegoing experience is where people connect, emotions flow freely, and on January 19th fans  can experience the magic of the big screen with their favorite movie snacks in hand at a  discounted price.”  

According to the National Association of Concessionaires: 

• Popcorn is American moviegoers’ favorite snack food. 

• Popcorn represents more than 60% of snack food sales at the nation’s theatres. • 4.5 billion quarts of popcorn are consumed at U.S. movie theatres and other live venues every year. 

According to a Fandango survey of more than 6,000 moviegoers: 

• 94% purchased concessions during their trips to theatres. 

• 88% said they order popcorn regularly.

Popcorn historian Andrew F. Smith, author of “Popped Culture,” estimates that popcorn was introduced at movie theatres in 1929 around the advent of talking pictures.  

For more details, visit your local theatre site or app or Fandango.  

ABOUT THE CINEMA FOUNDATION 

The Cinema Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit dedicated to promoting and enhancing the cinema exhibition industry through activities such as training and education,  career development, diversity, and inclusion, moviegoing promotion, and data and research efforts. 

Since March 2022, the Cinema Foundation’s mission has been dedicated to shaping the future of the great collective experience of moviegoing and the cinema industry. It works to support and impact the health of the cinema sector both in the short term and for years to come, while continuously expanding its contributions to the magic of moviegoing. The Cinema Foundation builds on the National Association of Theatre Owners’ mission and relationships and expands  NATO’s impact in ways that help individual employees, companies and the industry as a whole.  For more info, visit www.thecinemafoundation.org.  

ABOUT FANDANGO 

Fandango digital network provides unrivaled, instant access to all things movies and TV,  enhancing fan enjoyment across the entire entertainment journey. The portfolio serves more than  50 million unique visitors per month and includes leading online movie ticketer, Fandango, which  tickets for 31,000 U.S. movie screens; world-renowned entertainment review site, Rotten  Tomatoes; and Vudu, the on-demand streaming service offering the industry’s best selection of  4K UHD titles and more than 250,000 new release and catalogue movies and next day TV shows. 

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CONTACT 

Phil Contrino 
Director of Media & Research, NATO 
610-844-2459 
prc@natodc.com 

Harry Medved 
Media Relations, NATO/The Cinema Foundation 
310-200-1201 
harry@thecinemafoundation.org