
The Oscars honored several films which highlighted several worthy causes worth paying attention to and taking action for.
If you like the Oscars and taking action, then follow this Top 10 list of actions inspired by the films, the speeches, the parties, and the outfits featured during the Academy Awards.
1. Julie Christie, who was nominated for her amazing performance in the amazing film Away From Her, directed by the Amazing actor/filmmaker Sarah Polley, wears an orange ribbon, representing the “campaign to close Guantanamo,” which Julie says is “a very, very important issue”¦ It’s affecting the whole world.”
with Amnesty International’s online interactive Tear It Down campaign.
2. Director Cynthia Wade accepts the Oscar for Best Documentary Short for her film Freeheld, the story of a dying woman who fights against the policy that prevents her from passing on her pension to her partner saying:
It was Lieutenant Laurel Hester’s dying wish that her fight for, against discrimination would make a difference for all the same sex couples across the country that face discrimination every day. Discrimination that I don’t face as a married woman.
Check out Garden State Equality and
for equal rights.
3. Elton John hosts a post-Oscars party and auction to raise money for his Elton John AIDS Foundation.
to eliminate discrimination against HIV/AIDS-affected individuals.
4. The Academy teams up with Young Minds Inspired to create teaching and distribute free teaching kits to 19,500 high schools.
and check out Young Minds Inspired and their free resources.
5. Helen Palit’s non-profit organization Angel Harvest picks up the unserved perishable leftovers from the Kodak Theater and distributes them to soup kitchens and shelters. Visit Angel Harvest to see how you can
to help end hunger.
And, of course, there are the films
6. Michael Moore’s nominated documentary Sicko reveals the problems with the U.S. healthcare system.
and download the Sicko health care card (as seen on Jay Leno).
7. Mike Nichols‘ nominated film Charlie Wilson’s War, starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, and Philip Seymour Hoffman sheds light on the U.S. covert operations in Afghanistan which wound up funding jihads.
for peace in Afghanistan and check out Roots of Peace.
8. Oscar winner for best documentary, Taxi To The Dark Side tells the story of the murder of an innocent cab driver and looks at questions of torture, detention and interrogation. Visit the Center For Constitutional Rights to see how you can
for human rights.
9. Nominated documentary War Dance is about three children in Uganda who live in a refugee camp, and have experienced tragedy, loss, were forced to be child soldiers as a result of the brutal civil war that has ravaged Uganda for two decades. When they are invited to participate in an annual dance and music festival, they embark on an incredible journey from their refugee camp to the capital, and from despair to hope. You can just by seeing the film because all of the profits go to organizations that work with Ugandan children like Resolve Uganda. So
! Go see the film, help the children of Uganda, and then speak out for peace in Uganda by e-mailing your representatives and spreading the word among friends.
10. Persepolis, nominated for best animated feature film, is based on the true story and autobiography of Marjane Satrapi who comes of age during the Iranian Revolution, which. Instead of bringing freedom and liberty, the revolution brings an intolerant, fundamentalist, and repressive government into power, which forces the oustpoken Marjane to choose between the country she loves and the freedom she yearns for.
for Iranian women and support the One Million Signatures Campaign.
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Filed under:
Culture • Education • Peace
Related Links:
Speaking to a Younger Generation With Persepolis
War/Dance : Documenting The Power of Dance in a Land of War
Julian Schnabel To Paint A Moving Portrait of Peace
Taxi to the Dark Side Explores Interrogation
Pip Starr, Documentary Filmmaker And Activist Dies But Leaves Last Words And Videos
Tagged as:80th annual academy awards • 80th Oscars • Afghanistan • Afghanistan jihads • AIDS • Amnesty International • Angel Harvest • Away From Her • campaign to close Guantanamo • Center for Constitutional Rights • child soldier • Cynthia Wade • Cynthia Wade's Freeheld • detention • discrimination academy awards • discrimination oscars • Elton John AIDS Foundation • Freeheld Oscar • Garden State Equality • gay academey awards • gay and lesbian • gay oscars • gays and lesbians • Healthcare • Helen Palit • Helen Palit's Angel Harvest • HIV • HIV/AIDS • interrogation • Iran • Iranian Revolution • Jay Leno • jihad • Julia Roberts • Julie Christie • Kodak Theater • Laurel Hester • LGBT • Michael Moore • michael moore healthcare • Michael Moore's Sicko • Mike Nichols • Mike Nichols' Charlie Wilson's War • Mike Nichols' nominated film Charlie Wilson's War • One Million Signatures Campaign • persepolis • Philip Seymour Hoffman • Resolve Uganda • Roots of Peace • same-sex marriage • Sarah Polley • Sicko • Taxi to the Dark Side • Tear it Down • The Oscars • Tom Hanks • Torture • Uganda • uganda dance festival • uganda music festival • War Dance • Wilson's War • Young Minds Inspired

