By Daniel Hartill,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Like a Hollywood spotlight, a flashing strobe marks the table in the movie theater’s lobby.

Beneath the balloons and the posters for Oscar-nominated movies sit a stack of ballots. The Oscar winners, to be announced Sunday in Hollywood, will receive fame and riches. However, the aim of these ballots – stacked in each of Maine’s five Flagship Cinemas – is predicting the winners.

The best predictor wins free movies for a year – one winner for each Flagship Cinema location.

“The value will depend on how much they go to the movies,” said Doris Davis, manager of Lewiston’s Flagship Cinema.

“If someone comes once a week, it could be worth $350,” said Davis. “We have some people who come even more.”

The prize is a new creation. If it works, the Massachusetts-based cinema chain hopes to make it an annual contest.

Already several hundred local people have filled out the “official Flagship ballot,” which has the 24 categories to be announced Sunday night and the nominees. In Oxford, about 50 have been submitted so far. In Lewiston, the number is well above 100.

All people need to do is check the boxes and submit the ballot, with their names and addresses attached.

The contest’s edge ought to go to the people who attend the movies often, though not all of the movies make it to one of the chain’s theaters.

After all, few if any people in Maine have seen the best documentary nominee “The Story of the Weeping Camel” or “Gopher Broke,” nominated for best animated short film.

Other films such as “Maria Full of Grace” and “Vera Drake,” both of which have Oscar-nominated performances, are art-house features with little distribution in the multi-screen cineplexes.

Even with eight or nine screens, the chains have a tough time booking small, independent movies, which often earn acclaim and nominations.

“People ask about the smaller movies all the time,” Davis said. “We do our best.”

Since Flagship took over the cinema in Auburn, staff at both theaters have begun sending moviegoers to each other. Between the two places, all five of the best-picture nominees and a majority of the films in the other categories have played.

After Sunday’s awards show, all the entries will be examined. Winners will be determined by Tuesday and receive a new “Admiral’s Pass” via mail a short time later.

The rare passes are used by some of the company’s executives, Davis said.

Don’t ask her what the passes look like, though.

“I’ve never seen one,” she said.