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Oprah Winfrey & Child Soldiers | | By Fran Goldstein www.diamond-key.com keynet@shani.net |
In an article on Styles & Scenes by Elizabeth Snead in the LA Times, it was announced that the stars of the Blood Diamond film taped a show in Chicago for Oprah to be shown this Friday or sometime next week.
The question has to be asked as to what happens if Oprah decides to take off her diamonds – or if enough negativity resounds on the popular television program seen around the world.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
The NGO network has already started selling RED bracelets on their joint internet site with the film that was launched this week. Interesting color choice – is it for blood diamonds or to go along with Bono’s RED branded marketing campaign? These bracelets were given to those people who attended Amnesty International’s salon about important issues raised in the film (and attended by the director, Ed Zwick, and 2 of the producers, Marshall Herskovitz and Paula Weinstein).
THE RED BRACELET
A red rubber bracelet is a powerful symbol and shows that they know what they are doing.
The article said that it would probably be a “must-wear” at the December 6th premier for the film in Los Angeles. The bracelet will be sold online for USD$2.00 on the NGO’s joint Blood Diamond Action website (that was launched this week).
www.blooddiamondaction.org/
BLOOD DIAMOND DOCUMENTARY – HISTORY CHANNEL DECEMBER 23, 2006
There’s also a two-hour “Blood Diamond” documentary (“on the illicit diamond trade and the civil war in Sierre Leone”) set to air on December 23rd on The History Channel. There’s another documentary, The Diamond Road, planned for February 2007 – just in time for Valentine’s Day, just in case the diamond industry can survive this Christmas unscathed. And if the film gets an Oscar nod – who knows what will be planned for January 2007.
RUSSELL SIMMONS – WILL MEET WITH THE BUSHMEN’S REPRESENTATIVE
Russell Simmons – who sort of snubbed Bonnie Abaunza of Amnesty International last week, seems to have had second thoughts and has agreed to meet with Amnesty International (and possibly Roy Sesana of the Botswana Bushmen tribe) before he goes on his fact-finding tour of Africa. What upset Abaunza (in a recent article) was the fact that he was going to Africa with the Diamond Information Center – but that’s another story.
NAS HAS RECORDED MUSIC
The rapper, Nas, recorded music for the film which will also be on his new album.
It will probably be on the Amnesty International/Global Witness/Blood Diamond joint venture action website next week.
INTERVIEWS
Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly will tape public service announcements that will also be on the website.
EDUCATIONAL EVENING IN BEVERLY HILLS
An educational salon was held at the CAA offices in Beverly Hills Wednesday evening.
CHILD SOLDIERS
Bonnie Abaunza spoke about the movie's importance to the conflict diamond and child soldier issues.
“The movie represents Sierra Leone's recent history,” says Abaunza. “But the devastating and very real issues it raises still exist in other African countries and beyond.”
EXPERTS: CHILD SOLDIERS & CONFLICT DIAMONDS
Ed Zwick, “had rushed back from the Oprah taping”, and relaxed in the audience with two of the film’s producers, Herskovitz and Paula Weinstein. Zwick said afterwards that he rather enjoyed being able to listen to the panel of experts rather than being the one to field the questions about blood diamonds. The panel of experts included:
1] Jimmie Briggs, author of "Innocents Lost - When Child Soldiers Go to War”
2] Charmain Gooch, executive director of Global Witness
3] Bill Brummel, producer of the History Channel documentary on the civil war in Sierre Leone
4] Alyson Warhurst of Mapelcroft, a signatory of the UN Global Compact, which works with companies - including De
Beers - on creating and sustaining social development around the world.
THE BIG QUESTION
The question that is being asked is if the movie will really make a difference?
The LA Times artilcle said, “Briggs, who spent six years researching child soldiers and consulted with Zwick, and saw the powerful film a month ago in New York, says ‘Ed got it right.’” The article noted, “But like many who devote years of their time, energy and emotion to shedding light on human rights issues, he wonders if the film – and the resulting attention on conflict stones and child soldiers - will have enough impact to make a difference or is it just another Hollywood cause du jour.”
THE ROLE OF THE NGO – PUBLIC AWARENESS
Global Witness’s Gooch was said to be “ more hopeful”. Her major concern is about natural resources funding civil wars and rebel conflicts. Gooch said, “It seems shocking to us now, but eight years ago the diamond industry had convinced everyone that by buying up all the rebel stones, they were doing everyone a favor by keeping the diamond world market price stable. No one stopped to say ‘Hold on, this is funding the wars and atrocities.’”
FILM TAKES CREDIT FOR DIAMOND INDUSTRY’S INVOLVEMENT
And that’s where the public awareness created by “Blood Diamond” will probably make the difference – that is if the NGO’s have anything to say about it – and from the look of things, they probably will be playing an increasingly more important role. “The film has done more to push the industry to move forward on this issue more than it has for years,” Gooch said. “The fact that consumers will see this film and go back to jewelry stores and ask questions about where the stones they are buying come from is fantastic.”
TAKING CREDIT FOR CHANGING DE BEERS
Brummel agreed. “What Global Witness’s focus on the conflict stone issue did was to help affect change. De Beers certainly changed as a result of the increased public awareness. And that's also what my documentary and this feature film can do. As consumers. it’s important for us to know where the products we use and buy come from. And I’m not talking about a boycott. But when we know that something is awry, it’s important to educate ourselves and take action.”
SOURCE: http://stylescenes.latimes.com/fashion/2006/11/the_pr_pot_is_o.html
|  War Affected Victims: The young girls in the photo, extras in the film, are South African amputees. They were cast specifically for these scenes in the school (with Jennifer Connelly) that were filmed on location in South Africa. |
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 | I didn't know about the blood diamonds until I saw the film and honestly I was terrified...
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