FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alia Quart Khan, Film Independent
Tel: 310.432.1287 or aqkhan@filmindependent.org

Contact: Gina Pence, Ginsberg/Libby
Tel: 323.645.6800 or gina.pence@ginsberglibby.com

FILM INDEPENDENT AND AMC PRESENT
MAD MEN: LIVE READ & SCREENING OF THE SERIES FINALE
AT THE THEATRE AT ACE HOTEL DTLA ON SUNDAY, MAY 17

JASON REITMAN TO DIRECT A LIVE READ OF THE
MAD MEN SEASON ONE FINALE EPISODE “THE WHEEL”

FOLLOWED BY A SCREENING OF THE SERIES FINALE WITH SPECIAL GUESTS MATTHEW WEINER, JON HAMM,
JANUARY JONES, ELISABETH MOSS, JOHN SLATTERY AND KIERNAN SHIPKA

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 27, 2015) — AMC and Film Independent, the nonprofit arts organization that produces the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the Los Angeles Film Festival and Film Independent at LACMA, in conjunction with Lionsgate, announced today a special Mad Men event on Sunday, May 17 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel DTLA. In addition to a Live Read of a classic Mad Men script directed by Jason Reitman, for the first time the evening will also include a screening which will be the series finale of Mad Men. All proceeds go towards supporting the year-round programming efforts of Film Independent.

“The Film Independent Mad Men: Live Read & Series Finale is going to be a very exciting, one-of-a-kind event, combining Jason Reitman’s hugely successful Live Read with a screening of a series finale,” said Elvis Mitchell, Film Independent Curator.” We couldn’t be happier than to have Jason choose a Mad Men finale episode that dovetails with the show’s finale.”

“We started live reading screenplays four years ago to honor the great writing of cinema history,” said director Jason Reitman. “The kind of work that continues to inspire us…The Apartment, His Girl Friday, Glengary Glenross, Shampoo…I put Mad Men right up there with these classics and it’s a thrill to pay tribute to Matthew Weiner as this important series comes to a close.”

The event starts with Reitman directing a reading of the award-winning period drama’s first season finale,”The Wheel.”  Reitman will cast a group of actors to put their own particular spin on a classic piece of storytelling. The evening concludes with a screening of the Mad Men series finale episode, “Person to Person.” AMC’s Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning drama is created by Executive Producer/Writer/Director Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate; Jon Hamm leads the ensemble cast, including January Jones, Vincent Kartheiser, Elisabeth Moss, Christina Hendricks, John Slattery, Aaron Staton, Rich Sommer, Jessica Paré, Kiernan Shipka Christopher Stanley, Jay R. Ferguson, Kevin Rahm, and Mason Vale Cotton.

Mad Men is the most Emmy nominated series in history and has earned seven Emmy® Award nominations for Outstanding Drama Series, leading to four wins; three Golden Globe® Awards for Best Television Drama Series; a Peabody Award; three Producers Guild Awards; four Writers Guild Awards; two BAFTA Awards; five Television Critics Association Awards, including Program of the Year; and for seven consecutive years has been named one of AFI’s Top 10 Outstanding Television Programs.

Members have the opportunity to purchase tickets before the general public.
For Film Independent Membership information please visit:
www.filmindependent.org/membership/

To purchase tickets please visit:
www.filmindependent.org/event/mad-men-live-read-series-finale/

ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT
Film Independent is a non-profit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects and works to diversify the film industry. Film Independent’s Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff and constituents, is comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race and sexual orientation. Anyone passionate about film can become a member, whether you are a filmmaker, industry professional or a film lover.

Film Independent produces the Spirit Awards, the annual celebration honoring artist-driven films and recognizing the finest achievements of American independent filmmakers. Film Independent also produces the Los Angeles Film Festival, showcasing the best of American and international cinema and the Film Independent at LACMA Film Series, a year-round, weekly program that offers unique cinematic experiences for the Los Angeles creative community and the general public.

With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent’s Artist Development program offers free Labs for selected writers, directors, producers and documentary filmmakers and presents year-round networking opportunities. Project Involve is Film Independent’s signature program dedicated to fostering the careers of talented filmmakers from communities traditionally underrepresented in the film industry. For more information or to become a member, visit filmindependent.org. 

ABOUT AMC
Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade, or creating acclaimed original programming, AMC brings to its audience something deeper, something richer, Something More. The network reigns as the only cable network in history ever to win the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row, and six of the last seven with current back-to-back honoree, “Breaking Bad.” The network boasts the most-watched drama series in basic cable history and the number one show on television among adults 18-49 for the last two years with “The Walking Dead.” AMC’s original drama series include “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Walking Dead,” “Hell on Wheels,” “Turn,” “Halt and Catch Fire” and the forthcoming “Breaking Bad” prequel, “Better Call Saul.” AMC also explores authentic worlds with bold characters through its slate of unscripted original series like “Talking Dead,” “Comic Book Men,” “Game of Arms” and “4th and Loud.” AMC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc. and its sister networks include IFC, SundanceTV, and WE tv. AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. AMC: Something More.

ABOUT LIONSGATE
Lionsgate is a premier next generation global content leader with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, digital distribution, channel platforms and international distribution and sales. The Company currently has more than 30 television shows on over 20 different networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-winning Mad Men and Nurse Jackie, the comedy Anger Management, the broadcast network series Nashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the critically-acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black and new series such as The Royals, Manhattan, Deadbeat, Casual and Chasing Life.

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