NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 08: Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae attend an official academy screening of HIDDEN FIGURES hosted by the The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at MOMA - Celeste Bartos Theater on December 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images for Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)

BALTIMORE (AP) — In celebration of Black History Month, 21st Century Fox and AMC Theatres are joining forces to provide free screenings of Academy Award nominated film “Hidden Figures” in communities across the country.

The film – starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe – tells the ‘untold’ story of three African-American female NASA mathematicians during the Space Race of the 1960s. “Hidden Figures” has been nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Octavia Spencer’s portrayal of Dorothy Vaughan.

“Hidden Figures” continues to inspire audiences across the country, having already crossed $144 million in box office receipts. The free screenings, which will be held at AMC Theatres on February 18th in fourteen US cities, are intended to build broader awareness of the true story on which the film is based.

In addition to the screenings taking place on February 18th, 21st Century Fox and AMC Theatres invite school and community groups and non-profit organizations to apply for additional special screenings to be held in their towns. Groups can apply at http://21.cf/HiddenFigures for consideration. The application deadline is February 28, 2017 and winners will be notified in March 2017.

“As we celebrate Black History Month and look ahead to Women’s History Month in March, this story of empowerment and perseverance is more relevant than ever. We at 21CF were inspired by the grassroots movement to bring this film to audiences that wouldn’t otherwise be able to see it – audiences that might include future innovators and barrier-breakers – and we wanted to support and extend that movement,” said Liba Rubenstein, 21st Century Fox’s Senior Vice President of Social Impact.

“The storytelling and message that ‘Hidden Figures’ carries is endearing and inspiring, and based on the remarkable community support this movie has received, we have witnessed first-hand the powerful impact it is having on audiences,” said Elizabeth Frank, EVP and Chief Content & Programming Officer, AMC. “We’re honored to partner with Fox to help further the reach of this message to moviegoers across the country.”

Free screenings will be held on Saturday, February 18 at 10AM in the following cities: Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; The Bronx, NY; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Detroit, MI; Los Angeles, CA; New Orleans, LA; Philadelphia, PA; Oakland, CA; St. Louis, MO; Miami, FL; and Washington, DC. Tickets will be distributed on a first come, first served basis and can be reserved at https://www.amctheatres.com/hidden-figures-group.

21st Century Fox also recently completed “The Search for Hidden Figures” contest to uncover the next generation of female leaders in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). More than $200,000 in scholarships and awards were distributed. More information on the contest is available at www.searchforhiddenfigures.com.

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