Los Angeles students offered free admission to watch 'Selma'

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles students will now be able to watch the Oscar-nominated film 'Selma' for free.

Local business leaders have pitched in funds to allow students to watch the historical film, which has been nominated for best picture and best original song, at no cost.

Los Angeles is among 25 cities nationwide where the community has contributed money to their local initiative.

"It's important that the civil rights struggle depicted in 'Selma' reach as many young people as possible so that the enduring lessons of the civil rights movement can be harnessed to inspire them to transform their lives and communities," said T. Warren Jackson, who helped organize the efforts in Los Angeles.

The efforts began in New York City, where 27 black business leaders put together a fund for 27,000 of the city's middle school students. The tickets sold out the first weekend and the program was expanded to 75,000 tickets.

Students who present a current student identification or report card at a participating box office will receive free admission while tickets last.

Eight movie theaters in Southern California are participating:

• AMC Burbank 16 - Burbank


• AMC Del Amo 18 - Torrance


• Cinemark 18 & XD - Westchester


• Cinemark Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 & Xtreme - Los Angeles


• Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26 & IMAX - Long Beach


• Pacific Lakewood 16 - Lakewood


• Pacific Winnetka 21 - Chatsworth


• Regal LA Live Stadium 14 - Los Angeles

For more information, visit SelmaMovie.com/studenttickets.