The Writers Guild of America strike may have halted production in Hollywood, but thanks to a large new gift, the Indianapolis Museum of Art has green-lit a major new film venture.

The IMA on Tuesday accepted a gift of $1 million from Randall and Marianne Tobias to refurbish the Tobias Theater and make film a year-round staple of the museum's offerings. The money will pay for new seats, a larger screen, surround sound, both digital and film projection, better handicap access and a new concession area.

Starting this fall, IMA officials foresee a slate of award-winning movies from festivals all over the globe, international films and documentaries. Starting in January 2009 they will introduce a Winter Nights lineup of classic films to complement the popular Summer Nights program of mainstream movies. They also would like to bring in filmmakers, both local and international, to talk about their work.

"Randy and Marianne's ongoing support is essential to our goal of bringing more adventurous programming to visitors of all ages," said Maxwell L. Anderson, the Melvin & Bren Simon Director and CEO of the IMA in a statement. "Our hope is to see Tobias Theater as a welcoming space devoted to the exchange of ideas, whether they are expressed in film, by speakers or through performances."

The 604-seat theater on the museum's ground level has lay dormant since Civic Theatre moved from there to Marian College in 2004.