Ster-Kinekor Theatres and SABC 3 have teamed up to bring the big box office Oscar favourites and the art house Oscar certainties to cinemas free from Thursday 20th Feb to Thursday 19 March. The campaign culminates in a massive celebrity premiere of the multiple nominated Chicago just days before the Oscar ceremony itself on 23 March.
The Oscar nominated movies on show are The Pianist, Gangs of New York, About Schmidt, Adaptation, Chicago, Catch Me If You Can, El Crimen De Padre Amaro, The Hours, and Far From Heaven – together they have garnered more than 52 nominations.
Commenting on the coup for South African movie fans, Odette van Wyk marketing Executive Ster-Kinekor said, "The Oscars are a major highlight of any movie goers calendar, but typically many of the nominated movies are not yet released here by the time of the Oscars. So we're really excited to be able to, along with SABC 3, bring these movies to Ster Kinekor cinemas before the awards themselves."
The Oscar campaign kicks off on Thursday 20th February with the free screening of multiple Oscar nominated The Pianist at Ster-Kinekor Theatres and El Crimen De Padre Amaro at Ster-Kinekor Cinema Nouveau.
The Pianist has been nominated in seven categories - Best Actor (Adrien Brody), Cinematography, Costume design, Directing (Roman Polanski), Film editing, Best picture
and Adapted screenplay
El Crimen De Padre Amaro has been nominated in the Best Foreign language film category and is strongly tipped as a favourite to win the Oscar.
Added Van Wyk: "We have carefully chosen some of the top nominated movies and have a fantastic mix of big box office hits as well as magnificent Cinema Nouveau art offerings."
The confirmed line up for the free Oscar screenings are as follows:
| Ster Kinekor | Cinema Nouveau | |
| Thurs 20 Feb | The Pianist | El Crimen De Padre Amaro |
| Thurs 27 Feb | The Hours | About Schmidt |
| Thurs 6 March | Catch Me if You Can | Adaptation |
| Thurs 13 March | Gangs of New York | Far From Heaven |
| Wed 19 March | Chicago |
To reserve your free seats for the Oscars all you need to do is call the booking line 083 910 0300 and collect your tickets from your participating cinema on the night. You even get free popcorn and coke. You can only book for the particular movies during the week that they are showing.
