West Michigan joins the country with an Official Oscar Party

West Michigan wants you to be able to walk the red carpet…. well, sort of thanks to a high-end watch party.

The Waterfront Film Festival¹s Oscar Night America Party will be the first party of its kind in West Michigan sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the only official party in the West Michigan media market.

The event will be held at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (41 Sheldon Blvd SE, Grand Rapids), Sunday February 22nd, starting at 6:30p.m., tickets are $125 per person and include food and an open bar.  You can get tickets at West Michigan Schuler Books & Music locations or online: at the Waterfront Film Festival’s site or contact Kristin Salerno with any questions 616-340-1086 or kristinsalerno@yahoo.com.   The event is a fundraiser for the Waterfront Film Festival, a portion of each ticket price is tax deductible.

Attire for the event is elegant, artistic, black-tie optional.

For more info on Academy Award winners in attendance, how the West Michigan Film industry is involved, check out this press release.  Grand Rapids’ Oscar Night America Party mentioned on the official Academy Awards website.

Follow along with an Official Oscar Ballot

Whether you’re going to the big party or hosting your own watch party, here’s an official Oscar Ballot to print out for this year’s awards.

 Hugh Jackman will host

If you’re watching at home, stage and screen actor Hugh Jackman will be a first time host of the 81st Annual Academy Awards on February 22, 2009 on ABC (airs on WOTV in West Michigan).

The 40 year old Australian native has appeared in 19 big screen movies, making this summer’s blockbuster “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” the 20th movie to his credits.  

While he’s well known for Wolverine, he’s appeared in a variety of roles, including the epic romantic drama “Australia” (2008), voicework in “Happy Feet” (2006) and “Flushed Away” (2006), a magician in “The Prestige” (2006), a monster hunter in “Van Helsing” (2004), a romantic lost in time in “Kate and Leopold” (2001), and a compuer hacker in “Swordfish” (2001).

Jackman is also a star of the stage, starring in the Australian productions of Beauty and the Beast, Sunset Boulevard, and Oklahoma… he also made his way to Broadway and won a Tony Award for his role in the production of The Boy from Oz.

And in case you were wondering, he’s also hosted an award show before… twice actually, as the Emmy winning host of the The 58th Annual Tony Awards (2004) and the Emmy nominated host of the the 59th Annual Tony Awards (2005).

Complete List of Nominees:

http://blogs.woodtv.com/2009/01/22/academy-awards-nominees/

Movies to see before the Oscars:

http://blogs.woodtv.com/2009/02/17/getting-ready-for-the-oscars-academy-awards/