J.A. Bayona, the director of Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s upcoming “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” will receive the “CinemaCon  International Filmmaker 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 23 – 26, 2018 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Bayona will be presented with this award during the International Day Luncheon on Monday, April 23.

“From the moment J.A. Bayona’s films debuted on the big screen there was no doubt that his work would excite, entertain and engage audiences around the world,” noted Neuhauser. “With the upcoming  “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” Bayona’s work is sure to captivate new audiences around the globe—as he brings his signature touch to what has been one of the biggest franchises of all time.”

This summer, Bayona brings his direction to one of the most popular and successful series in cinema history with an all-new motion-picture event that sees the return of favorite characters and dinosaurs – along with new breeds more awe-inspiring and terrifying than ever before in “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.”

It’s been four year since theme park and luxury resort Jurassic World was destroyed by dinosaurs out of containment. Isla Nublar now sits abandoned by humans while the surviving dinosaurs fend for themselves in the jungles.

When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event. Owen is driven to find Blue, his lead raptor who’s still missing in the wild, and Claire has grown a respect for these creatures she now makes this her mission. Arriving on the unstable island as lava begins raining down, their expedition uncovers a conspiracy that could return our entire planet to a perilous order not seen since prehistoric times.

Stars Pratt and Howard return alongside executive producers Steven Spielberg and Colin Trevorrow for “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.” They are joined by co-stars James Cromwell, Ted Levine, Justice Smith, Geraldine Chaplin, Daniella Pineda, Toby Jones, Rafe Spall and Isabella Sermon, while BD Wong and Jeff Goldblum reprise their roles.

The epic action-adventure is written by “Jurassic World” director Colin Trevorrow and its co-writer, Derek Connolly. Producers Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley once again partner with Steven Spielberg and Trevorrow in leading the filmmakers for this stunning installment.  Belén Atienza joins the team as a producer.

Born in Barcelona, Bayona grew up with a passion for film leading him to studying directing,at the Cinema and Audiovisual School of Catalonia (ESCAC). After directing two short films, “My Holidays” and “The Sponge Man,” Bayona met screenwriter Sergio G. Sánchez, whose script “The Orphanage” became Bayona’s first feature film. “The Orphanage” world premiered at the 2007 Cannes International Film Festival—to a 10-minute standing ovation—before it was released nationally in Spain. It achieved the highest four-day box-office of the year and, at the time, the second-highest opening for a Spanish film. The film went on to be nominated for 14 Goya Awards, winning seven, including Best New Director. Bayona followed up “The Orphanage” with “The Impossible,” starring Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland, which grossed more than $180 million at the worldwide box office and earned Watts Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and Academy Award—nominations, while also winning five Goya Awards and six Gaudí Awards, including Best Director at both ceremonies. In addition, he directed the first two episodes of the Showtime series “Penny Dreadful” and most recently directed the feature film “A Monster Calls,” which won nine Goya Awards, including Best Director and became the biggest grossing film of the year in Spain.

About CinemaCon
CinemaCon will attract upwards of 6,000 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 33,393 movie screens in all 50 states, and additional cinemas in 94 countries worldwide. NATO’s membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world and hundreds of independent theatre owners, too.

Additional information on CinemaCon as well as an application to apply for press credentials can be found at www.cinemacon.com.