FRANCIS LAWRENCE TO RECEIVE "CINEMACON® DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD"

"THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2" DIRECTED BY LAWRENCE TO BE RELEASED ON NOVEMBER 20, 2015

WASHINGTON D.C. (March 26, 2015) – Francis Lawrence will receive the "CinemaCon® Director of the Year Award" it was announced today by Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon. CinemaCon, the official convention of The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), will be held April 20 – 23, 2015, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Lawrence will be presented with this special honor at the "CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement Awards" ceremony to take place on Thursday, April 23, in the evening at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The Coca-Cola Company, the official presenting sponsor of CinemaCon, will host the final night gala awards program.

"Since making his feature film debut ten years ago, Francis Lawrence has mesmerized moviegoing audiences with his own unique and inventive style," noted Neuhauser. "A true visionary, Lawrence is sure to captivate audiences next fall when ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2,’ the eagerly anticipated finale of the box-office franchise, hits our theaters. We couldn’t think of a more deserving director and are thrilled to be honoring him with the ‘CinemaCon® Director of the Year Award.’"

Lawrence’s work can be seen this fall in "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2," which is set to be released by LIONSGATE, on November 20, 2015. The blockbuster Hunger Games franchise has taken audiences by storm around the world, grossing more than $2.2 billion at the global box office. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 now brings the franchise to its powerful fourth chapter in which Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) now fully realizes the stakes are no longer just for survival — they are for the future.

With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin), and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.

A director and producer of film, music videos, and television, Lawrence made his feature film debut in 2005 with "Constantine," following that up with the hit movie, "I Am Legend" in 2007 and "Water for Elephants," in 2011. Lawrence most recently directed the last two installments of the hugely popular Hunger Games franchise, "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1" and "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire."

On the small screen Lawrence served as director and executive producer on the pilot and several episodes of the acclaimed series "Kings" and directed the pilot for FOX’s "Touch" which he continued on as executive producer for both seasons of the show. He is also a noted music video director, having won a GRAMMY®, Latin Grammy and multiple VMA awards. In addition Lawrence has also directed commercials for many high profile clients including The Gap, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, L’Oreal, Bacardi, McDonald’s, Disneyland, Oldsmobile, Covergirl, and Maybelline.

About CinemaCon

CinemaCon will attract upwards of 5,000 motion picture professionals from all facets of the industry –from exhibition and distribution, to the equipment and concession areas – all on hand to celebrate the movie-going experience and the cinema industry. From exclusive Hollywood product presentations highlighting a slate of upcoming films, to must-see premiere feature screenings, to the biggest stars, producers and directors, CinemaCon will help jumpstart the excitement and buzz that surrounds the summer season at the box office.

CinemaCon is delighted to have both the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) and National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) as its tradeshow partners. CinemaCon is also delighted to have as its official presenting sponsor The Coca-Cola Company, one of the industry’s greatest and highly regarded and respected partners in the world of the movies.

About NATO

The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 32,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and additional cinemas in 81 countries worldwide. NATO’s membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world and hundreds of independent theatre owners, too.

Additional information on CinemaCon can be found at www.cinemacon.com.

Media Contacts:

Heather Lewandoski
Rogers & Cowan
615.519.1747
hlewandoski@rogersandcowan.com

Maureen O’Connor
Rogers & Cowan
310.854.8116
moconnor@rogersandcowan.com