Kerry Washington Accepts FilmAid Award from HFPA

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This blog entry has been reposted from Variety. The original article was called "HFPA event offers grants, laugh" By Jon Weisman, Posted: Aug. 9, 2012, 3:24PM PT

It makes sense that folks would be in a fine mood when $1.2 million in grants are being handed out, and such was the case at the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.'s annual luncheon Thursday.

The event, which also featured the official installation of this year's board of directors and HFPA officers -- veep Jorge Camara, exec secretary Serge Rakhlin and treasurer Ali Sar -- was presided over by frequently bemused org prexy Aida Takla-O'Reilly.

"This is a memorable day for me," Takla-O'Reilly said. "This is the day that Steven Spielberg pulled my scarf out of the soup -- and wiped it for me."

Spielberg, who earlier praised Takla-O'Reilly's stand-up skills, was one of the event's first speakers, representing the preservation org Film Foundation, which received the highest of the HFPA's grants ($250,000).

"The films that we love (are) physically disappearing before our very eyes," Spielberg said, adding that this year's funding would support preservation of Federico Fellini's "La Strada." The HFPA has given $3.6 million to the Film Foundation in recent years, helping preserve more than 80 films. Among the other prime beneficiaries this year of the HFPA's donations were UCLA ($65,000), CalArts ($60,000) the Sundance Institute and FilmAid International ($50,000 each).

"FilmAid has literally become a live-saving relief tool," said actress Kerry Washington. ""FilmAid's video and movie screens deliver urgent information while also doing what we do with film -- inspiring laughter and connection."

The HFPA's other presenters included Jennifer Lawrence, John Travolta, Dustin Hoffman, Kelsey Grammer, Don Johnson, Jack Black, Christina Hendricks, Carla Gugino, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Ryan Guzman and Kathryn McCormick.

Black jokingly gave the impression that he had thought he would top the day in Hollywood celebrity, but then called himself "small potatoes" compared to Spielberg. "

Let me just say -- 'Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter' looks great," Black cracked.

Read the full article here.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences supports FilmAid’s refugee ‘Mobile Cinema’ screening series

July 3, 2012- 

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FilmAid is pleased to announce the support of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for their ‘Mobile Cinema’ screening series in Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camp, Kenya.   

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are dedicated to the advancement of arts and sciences in motion pictures.

With giant screens attached to the side of trucks, or a television set up under a tree, FilmAid’s ‘Mobile Cinema’ brings the power of film to the people who need it most.

The grant will be used to support and expand FilmAid’s core work that uses mobile cinema to provide joy, laughter, relief and life‐saving information to a combined population of over 550,000 refugees.

‘We are delighted to have the generous support of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,’ said Liz Manne, Executive Director of FilmAid, ‘through this grant, we can offer access to those who lack traditional media and information sources’.

FilmAid uses the power of film and media to transcend language and literacy, bringing life-saving information, psychological relief and much-needed hope to refugees and other communities in need around the globe. 

For further information on The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences -www.oscars.org 

Simon Goff named Executive Director of FilmAid International

FilmAid International has appointed Simon Goff as its new Executive Director, replacing Liz Manne who joins the humanitarian organization’s board   of  directors as a vice chair. Goff comes to FilmAid from the MTV Exit Foundation, which he co-founded and where he served as Chief Executive.

In making the announcement, FilmAid board chair Michael Angst said, “As a small humanitarian organization operating in challenging conditions, we rely on leaders that can operate both nimbly and responsibly. We are thrilled to have Simon join FilmAid to lead the next phase of our work and to have Liz join our board, so her experience and voice and inform our ongoing strategy.”

Simon Goff stated, “I have experienced how film and media have the power to transform lives. It is an honor to join FilmAid, an organization that was founded and operates on this principle, empowering communities across the globe through its inspiring work.”

Throughout his career, Simon Goff has focused on two overarching goals: to creatively channel the power of music, film and television toward effecting positive social change; and to create unique partnerships designed to maximize he social action necessary to achieve that change. After joining Viacom International to work on MTV’s social responsibility initiatives, Simon co-founded the MTV EXIT Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization committed to combating human trafficking and exploitation, becoming Chief Executive in 2009.

During his tenure with MTV EXIT, Simon designed, developed and produced complex, multimedia communications initiatives, elements of which included documentaries, drama, short films, music videos, concerts and community-based youth development programs.

A longtime industry executive, independent producer and social change activist, Liz Manne joined FilmAid in 2011. She previously served as an advisor to HBO Films, EVP Programming & Marketing for Sundance Channel and EVP for Marketing for Fine Line Features. Manne serves as a member of President Barack Obama’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.