BALLOTS FOR BEST POLITICAL FILMS OF 2009
The time has come to determine winners of the best political films of 2009. Mark your ballot YES if you believe that the film is the best in each category. Mark NO if you feel that the film is underserving. If you did not see a film, the best way to vote is by putting an X for UNDECIDED. Polls close at midnight February 28. If the emailed ballot is difficult to read, kindly go to the website.
For EXPOSÉ films, namely those that bring to prominence lesser known facts that raise political consciousness, vote to accept the best from the following nominees. Only one film can be selected as YES.
For films that promote human rights, vote for the top film as YES:
| FILM TITLE | YES | NO | UNDECIDED | CONTENT |
| Avatar | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | genocidal means to exploit resources |
| The Cove | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | most captured dolphins are slaughtered |
| District 9 | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | fictionalized aliens as if in apartheid South Africa |
| Invictus | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | how Mandela brought post-apartheid reconciliation |
| The Stoning of Soraya M. | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | stoning for infidelity based on husband’s power |
For films that promote PEACE, vote for the top film as YES:
| FILM TITLE | YES | NO | UNDECIDED | CONTENT |
| Avatar | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | preemptive war by “shock and awe” |
| Fifty Dead Men Walking | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | futility of violence by the British & the IRA |
| Flame & Citron | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Nazi occupation of Denmark |
| The Hurt Locker | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | absurdity of the Iraq War |
| Inglourious Basterds | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | insignificance of revenge killing |
Only one film was nominated for the category DEMOCRACY. Vote YES to give it a special award. If not, vote NO.
| FILM TITLE | YES | NO | UNDECIDED | CONTENT |
| Invictus | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | How Mandela’s ensured White acceptance of Black rule. |
From time to time, the Board of Directors proposes a special Stanley Award for a film that was not nominated in the past but in hindsight should have been. In the case of Cider House Rules, no nomination was forthcoming because the film was exhibited at the end of 1999 without publicity that the focus was on abortion.
| FILM TITLE | YES | NO | UNDECIDED | CONTENT |
| Cider House Rules | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | The case for a woman’s right to choose an abortion. |
The Political Film Society Board of Directors will meet on Monday, March 1, at 9 a.m. (8481 Allenwood Road, LA 90046) to count ballots. Winners will be announced later that day.
EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES SHOWS HOW A NEW MEDICAL TREATMENT EMERGES FROM A SCIENTIFIC IDEA
Political scientists know how a bill becomes a law, and in 2009 Americans learned how bills do not become law, but in Extraordinary Measures, directed by Tom Vaughan, filmviewers watch how a scientific treatment for Pompe (a form of muscular dystrophy) moves from an idea in the head of Professor Robert Stonehill (played by Harrison Ford) to a treatment for the sick daughters of John Crowley (played by Brendan Fraser). For showing that difficult process with all its guts and obstacles, as described in the 2006 book The Cure by Geeta Anand, the Political Film Society has nominated Extraordinary Measures as best film exposé of 2010. If released in 2009, more accolades would already have been heaped upon this heart-warming film, which may bring tears of joy to filmviewers as it does to Aileen Crowley and life itself to many (played by Keri Russell). MH