Sid Ganis to Produce 2010 Governors Awards, Set For 11/13

Producer Sid Ganis will produce the 2nd annual Governors Awards for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Academy President Tom Sherak announced today. One or more of the Academy's highest honors - the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards and the Honorary Award - will be presented at the event, set for Saturday, November 13.

"Sid is the perfect person to produce our second Governors Awards ceremony," said Sherak. "Last year's Governors Awards was a very special evening for all of us and I know Sid will build on that success and take the evening to the next level."

"I'm beyond excited to be involved in what is - after only one year - a wonderful and important Academy tradition," said Ganis. "The first Governors Awards was about as perfect as it could have been and I'm looking forward to producing this year's event to make sure it too is as perfect as possible."

Ganis is the Academy's immediate past president and represents the public relations branch on the Board of Governors. He founded Out of the Blue...Entertainment in 1996, following a distinguished career as an executive at several major studios. His producer credits include "Akeelah and the Bee," "Big Daddy" and "Mr. Deeds."

The 2010 honorees will be selected at a specially convened meeting of the Academy's Board in late August.

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and the Honorary Award are Oscar statuettes; the Irving G. Thalberg Award is a bust of its namesake. The most recent recipients of Honorary Awards were Lauren Bacall, Roger Corman and Gordon Willis; John Calley was the most recent recipient of the Thalberg Award.

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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards - in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners - the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.