Oscars Campaign Money Donated To Refugees

The Australian producer of an Australian comedy film THE BALL, in the ballot for the 2004 Academy Awards best live action short, will donate her entire publicity budget of $10,000 to Amnesty International for refugee assistance.

PRWEB) December 4, 2003 Sydney Australia-- The Australian producer of an Australian comedy film THE BALL, in the ballot for the 2004 Academy Awards best live action short, will donate her entire publicity budget of $10,000 to Amnesty International Australia for refugee assistance.

Anny Slater of Moondance Pictures, the writer and director of THE BALL, in making her pledge says, I started to set up advertising and screenings for THE BALL in Los Angeles and elsewhere and in the process I began to lose sight of why I made the film in the first place. It was to highlight, albeit by comedy, the distressing recent refugee events in Australia and the Australian Prime Ministers conduct. It started to be about me and not about highlighting the plight of refugees."

THE BALL is the brainchild of Slater who wrote and directed what is her first film. Along with fellow producers Lily Hamdan and Serafina Froio, Anny has steered the film to success at more that 30 film festivals since its release in April 2003 including Seattle, Montreal Just for Laughs, Ft Lauderdale, Boston, LA Shorts and the Hamptons. The Ball was also recently selected to screen, out of 3200 worldwide submissions, at Interfilm Berlin and Euroshorts Poland.

THE BALL recently won best short at Amnesty Internationals Red Carpet film festival and will screen at Santa Fe Film Festival 3-7 December.

The United States film community has been truly wonderful in its acceptance of the film and I am very humbled by that. I think however that if Im prepared to spend a significant amount of money to promote myself as a film maker then that money would do much more good in the hands of Amnesty International, and after all I think thats what the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is about – encouraging excellence in people, with out the hype, and the Academy process has certainly inspired the best from me as a person and a film maker. Im prepared to let the film stand or fall on its own merits" says Slater.

The National Director of Amnesty International Australia, Mara Moustafine said, We thank Anny for her support and generous donation and wish her the best of luck in the Oscar ballot. I hope THE BALL plays a part in highlighting the plight of asylum seekers in Australia."

Comedy is most often the most effective method of highlighting serious issues. Im just glad it translates to audiences around the World so they can laugh today and think about the underlying issues tomorrow," adds Slater.

THE BALL is an Australian comedy short film that pokes fun at Australian Prime Minister John Howard and his treatment of refugees. It stars veteran Australian actor Max Gillies (Gillies Report") as cricket loving Howard and comedienne Gabby Millgate (Babe Pig in the City", Muriels Wedding") as a soccer loving boat person who washes ashore in Australia. The film spoofs the well-known art house film THE PIANO.

Nominations for the Academy Awards will be announced in January 2004.

MEDIA CONTACT: For further information or interviews please contact the Media Officer Moondance Pictures at info@ moondancepictures.com or +61298102874(TEL) +61298188249(FAX)

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