Cinema for Peace

Cinema for Peace is a group based in the United States that aims to raise awareness for the social relevance of films, and to make active use of the influence of movies and documentaries on the perception and resolution of global social, political and humanitarian challenges. Since 2002, the group has been inviting film makers, humanitarian and human rights activists, and public figures to its annual awards ceremony in Berlin to honor a selection of cinematic works on humanitarian and environmental issues. The awards include: The Most Valuable Movie of the Year, The Most Valuable Documentary of the Year, The International Green Film Award, The Award for Justice, the International Human Rights Award and further Honorary Awards. The group also raises funds for the Cinema for Peace Foundation and other charities.

Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, Jaka Bizilj launched the Cinema for Peace initiative with the annual gala as a platform for communicating humanitarian, political and social issues through the medium of film. Bob Geldof described the awards gala as "the Oscars with brains". Since 2008, various projects initiated by the worldwide Cinema for Peace initiative are carried out by the charitable Cinema for Peace Foundation, based in Berlin, chaired unsalaried by Jaka Bizilj.

In addition to the annual Cinema for Peace Gala in Berlin the initiative also stages further special encounters in Europe, the USA and Africa, to draw media attention to current issues and major projects as well as to human rights defenders. On 18 May 2011 Cinema for Peace held its first dinner at the Cannes Film Festival to honour the humanitarian work of Sean Penn in Haiti. At this occasion, together with Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Uma Thurman, Jane Fonda and Faye Dunaway about 700,000 U.S. dollars were raised for his J/P Haitian Relief organization. Overall, as by mid-2011 the Cinema for Peace platform collected more than three million Euro for charitable purposes, as confirmed by external audit. All donation proceeds are published for transparency. The costs of all events are funded by sponsors. Iniator Jaka Bizilj and his production company Star Entertainment have been acting as largest sponsor in the period from 2002 to 2011.

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