Oscar fans to get free red carpet seats

LOS ANGELES, USA - Oscar fans will a get a chance to win free red carpet seating at the 2011 Academy Awards ceremony.

Starting Monday September 13, at 9am Eastern time, and for a period of one week only, people from anywhere in the world can apply online to take part in a random drawing for seats on the 83rd Academy Awards ® red carpet.

700 seats will be available along the 500-foot-long walkway that leads into the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center ®. Those who are selected will watch and cheer Oscar nominees, presenters and other prestigious guests as they arrive at the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday, February 27, 2011. Following the red carpet arrivals, everyone seated in the bleachers will be invited to watch the Academy Awards telecast at a nearby location.

The application form will be available online at www.oscars.org/bleachers. The online-only application process will close on Sunday, September 19, at midnight ET/9 p.m. PT.

People choosing to enter the draw must complete the application form in its entirety. Applications may only be submitted online and forms may not be returned via any other method. Applicants will be able to register for themselves and include one guest.

The random drawing will select and notify winners for the ceremony in late September and they will then be required to submit additional information for security purposes prior to final approval. Eligible attendees will receive a confirmation letter in early January for the 2011 Oscar ceremony.

Only those individuals who have been pre-approved by the Academy will have access to the bleachers.

20,000 fans in previous years applied online for the limited number of red carpet seats and the online draw has become incredibly popular for people wishing to attend the entertainment industry's most prestigious event, broadcast in over 200 countries.