Political Film Review #368

FINAL VOTING FOR BEST POLITICAL FILMS OF 2010 CONTINUES UNTIL FEBRUARY 28

Based on voting during January, members of the Political Film Society narrowed the list of nominated films to no more than five for the largest categories (Exposé and Human Rights). Now members can determine the best in each category of films that raised political consciousness in 2010. If you feel that the film deserves serious consideration, mark YES on your ballot . If you believe that the film is off the mark, mark your ballot NO. 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 (www.polfilms.com).

For the one film that best raised consciousness about the need for more DEMOCRACY in 2010:

FILM TITLE	YES	NO	UNDECIDED	CONTENT
Blood Done Sign My Name	(    )	(    )	(    )	how desegregation was achieved in a small Southern town, a paradigm for the South
Formosa Betrayed	(    )	(    )	(    )	how Chiang Kai-Shek crushed democratic forces on Taiwan
John Rabe	(    )	(    )	(    )	mobilization of opposition to Japan’s invasion of China
Princess Ka‘iulani	(    )	(    )	(    )	the undemocratic way in which Congress and the President annexed Hawai‘i

For the best EXPOSÉ film, which brought to prominence lesser known facts that raised political consciousness in 2010:

FILM TITLE	YES	NO	UNDECIDED	CONTENT
Agora	(    )	(    )	(    )	how miners pollute with impunity.
Fair Game	(    )	(    )	(    )	outing of Valery Plame; lies to get into the Iraq War
Princess Ka‘iulani	(    )	(    )	(    )	the princess tries to stop American takeover of Hawai‘i
Shake Hands with the Devil!	(    )	(    )	(    )	UN mission head in Rwanda tries to prevent genocide
Vincere	(    )	(    )	(    )	Mussolini tries to incarcerate his mistress and son

For the film that best promoted human rights in 2010:

FILM TITLE	YES	NO	UNDECIDED	CONTENT
The Ghost Writer	(    )	(    )	(    )	Tony Blair as a war criminal, going to war in Iraq on a lie
Howl	(    )	(    )	(    )	a poem calling for freedom of thought wins in court
My Name Is Khan	(    )	(    )	(    )	American Muslim, though persecuted, helps hurricane victims

For the film that best promoted PEACE in 2010:

FILM TITLE	YES	NO	UNDECIDED	CONTENT
The Ghost Writer	(    )	(    )	(    )	suffering produced by Tony Blair’s war crimes
Green Zone	(    )	(    )	(    )	how America’s Iraq War bred further violence (the insurgency)

Because the Political Film Society was founded in Honolulu, there is a fifth category. Vote for the best political film on Hawai‘i of 2010:

FILM TITLE	YES	NO	UNDECIDED	CONTENT
Princess Ka‘iulani	(    )	(    )	(    )	how the princess tried to stop America’s annexation of the independent state of Hawai‘i

The deadline for final ballots is February 28 at 11:59 p.m. Political Film Society Board of Directors will meet on Tuesday, March 1, at 9 a.m. (8481 Allenwood Road, LA 90046) to count ballots. Winners will be posted afterward.