Posts Tagged ‘Against’

amfAR’s 2010 Cinema Against Aids Gala in Cannes

Mick Jagger, Marion Cotillard, Russell Crowe, Jennifer Lopez, Paris Hilton, Alain Delon, Patti Smith, Gerard Butler, Grace Jones and Kristin Scott-Thomas were among the illuminati attending Thursday May 20th’s 17th Cinema Against AIDS banquet. bit.ly The benefit held in the French Riviera town of Cap d’Antibes raised $6.7 million for AIDS research and boasts the festival’s highest density of stars.

Was Spike Lee’s criticism and charges of racism against Clint Eastwood legitimate?

Spike Lee Rips Eastwood for WWII Films
AP / AOL
Posted: 2008-05-21 14:37:03
Filed Under: Movie News
CANNES, France (May 21) – Spike Lee is slamming Clint Eastwood over his two recent Iwo Jima movies, saying the filmmaker overlooked the role of black soldiers during World War II.

Lee – whose next film is this fall’s “Miracle at St. Anna,” the story of an all-black U.S. division fighting in Italy during the war – said Eastwood’s 2006 movies “Flags of Our Fathers” and “Letters From Iwo Jima” were whites-only affairs.

“He did two films about Iwo Jima back to back and there was not one black soldier in both of those films,” Lee said Tuesday at the Cannes Film Festival, where he was a judge in an online short-film competition.

“Many veterans, African-Americans, who survived that war are upset at Clint Eastwood. In his vision of Iwo Jima, Negro soldiers did not exist. Simple as that. I have a different version,” Lee said.

http://news.aol.com/entertainment/movies/movie-news-story/ar/_a/spike-lee-rips-eastwood-for-wwii-films/20080521131109990001?icid=1615988631x1202843836x1200307107

Film Stars Protest Against Smoking Bans at Cannes Film Festival!

Wherever and whenever smoking bans are imposed, they are accompanied by innumerable protests and difficulties on their implementation. Many argue that the smoking bans go a bit too far and adversely affect the business prospects of many organizations. In many places, the depiction of smoking is also banned in artistic fields like films, theaters, music videos etc. India is one of those countries where a lot of hue and cry has been raised as smoking and altogether drinking is banned in films and television. The authorities responsible for implementing these bans maintain that the youth brigade imitates a lot from television and film stars. Many instances have also been presented by the authorities showing how children in their early teens take to smoking addiction after watching their idols doing the same on screen.

It is indeed an irony that in India, most of the anti-smoking measures are nothing but sham. They are just in the papers. The proper implementation of the anti-smoking measures is still a far-fetched dream in India. These requirements are to be met first and only then one can opt for higher things. In India, it seems to be the other way round. Measures have been undertaken to stop the depiction of smoking instances on screen but barring a few measures, sufficient effective has not been taken to curb smoking in public places. The Indian leaders have gone a step further by asking the film stars who are addicted to smoking to give up the bad habit and also refrain from smoking in front of the press and the media. These actions have given rise to tremendous anger and protest in the film fraternity. They are of the opinion that the government is going a bit too far by trying to stop the depiction of smoking in films and also by asking film starts to quit nicotine addiction.

Films and television are a part of media that depicts reality and as such, the ban on smoking is making it impossible for the film industry to utilize creative freedom and highlight the real happenings in the society. Not only the Indian film fraternity, but most of the creative fields all over the world are against any form of restriction that hinders creativity. However, restrictions are welcome if they are absolutely necessary and to consider such restrictions, the censor board is available in almost all countries.

A very funny incident occurred at the Cannes film festival when legendary film star and jury member Sean Penn puffed in an enclosed area, protesting against the French government’s decision to ban smoking in enclosed areas. The star was also joined by other jury members and they all started smoking in a press conference. Whatever be the argument, there is no denying the fact that smoking is bad and should be given up at all costs. Quit smoking has become easier nowadays, thanks to the quit smoking drugs like chantix. For quit smoking, a price is to be paid and hence if you are going to buy chantix to give up smoking addiction, you should carry the amount of money that is required to purchase the drug. Chantix is not a cheap medicine until and unless you get hold of chantix coupons. As soon as you procure a chantix coupon, you can move ahead to buy chantix online at a discounted price.