TWENTY-TWO FILMS NOMINATED FOR BEST POLITICAL FILMS OF 2011
The year 2011 had many fascinating films raising political consciousness. In all, nineteen films were nominated in the four categories for Political Film Society awards. Although only four films were nominated in the category Democracy (Amigo, Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Within, The Lady, and Of Gods and Men), all the rest had more than five nominations.
BALLOTS
Political Film Society rules require final balloting for only the top five in each category, so ballots below enable members to narrow the two longer lists. If you feel that the film deserves serious consideration, mark your ballot ACCEPT. If you believe that the film is off the mark, mark your ballot DROP. If you did not see a film, the best way to vote is by putting an X for UNDECIDED. Polls close at midnight January 31. Send your ballot to [email protected] or by mail to P.O. Box 461267, Los Angeles, CA 90046.
For EXPOSÉ films, bringing to prominence lesser known facts that raise political consciousness, vote to accept the best five (5) only from the following nominees:
| FILM TITLE | ACCEPT | DROP | UNDECIDED | CONTENT |
| 5 Days of War | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008. |
| Amigo | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | American conquest of the Philippines. |
| The Bang Bang Club | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Why Zulus opposed Mandela’s ANC |
| City of Life and Death | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | How Rabe saved Chinese from death. |
| The Conquest | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | How Sarkozy became France’s president |
| The Conspirator | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Mistrial of Lincoln’s accused killers |
| The Devil’s Double | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Sick life of Usay Hussein |
| Elite Squad 2 | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Corruption in Brazil’s war on drugs |
| In Darkness | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Jews live 14 months in Lvov sewers |
| The Iron Lady | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Margaret Thatcher’s life |
| J. Edgar | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Oedipus complex of FBI’s Hoover |
| Kinyarwanda | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | How Rwandans tried to survive genocide |
| Machine Gun Preacher | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Brutality of Lords Resistance Army |
| Oranges and Sunshine | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | 130,00 children kidnapped by Britain |
| Silenced | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Corruption in Korea |
| The Whistleblower | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Bosnian women sold by UN, US officials |
For HUMAN RIGHTS films, vote to accept the best five (5) only from the following nominees:
| 5 Days of War | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Innocent civilians killed in Georgia war. |
| Amigo | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | U.S. army waterboarding of Filipinos. |
| City of Life and Death | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Massacre of Nanjing by Japanese. |
| The Conspirator | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Faking evidence to convict Mary Sarratt |
| The Devil’s Double | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Torture of Usay Hussein’s stand-in |
| Elite Squad 2 | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | How Brazilians intimidate the poor |
| The Help | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Black women mistreated in the South |
| In Darkness | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Polish protector of Jews from Nazis |
| The Flowers of War | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Rape of women, extrajudicial executions |
| In the Land of Blood and Honey | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Rape of women, extrajudicial executions |
| Kinyarwanda | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Genocide in Rwanda |
| The Lady | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | How Burma suppressed democracy |
| Machine Gun Preacher | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Savior of children from Joseph Kony |
| Oka! | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Jungle for indigenous Africans destroyed |
| Oranges and Sunshine | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | British children kidnapped & tortured |
| Silenced | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Justice denied in Korean child abuse case |
| The Whistleblower | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Human trafficking by UN Bosnian force |
For films that show the superiority of PEACE over violence, vote the best five (5) only from the following nominees:
| 5 Days of War | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Journalists act to stop Georgia war. |
| Amigo | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Friendly Filipinos obviate use of force. |
| City of Life and Death | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Unneeded slaughter of 300,000 Chinese |
| Elite Squad 2 | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Brazilian authorities murder the poor |
| The Flowers of War | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Heroism to stop rape of children |
| Kinyarwanda | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Protectors of Rwandans from genocide |
| In the Land of Blood and Honey | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Ethnic peace à Bosnia war by Serbs |
| The Lady | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Nonviolent quest for democracy in Burma |
| Machine Gun Preacher | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Rescuing children from Kony’s army |
| Of Gods and Men | ( ) | ( ) | ( ) | Monks bring peace in Algerian civil war |
NOTE: Ballots in each category with more than 5 marks for ACCEPT will be disqualified.
The Political Film Society Board of Directors will meet on Tuesday, February 1, at 9 a.m. (8481 Allenwood Road, LA 90046) to count ballots. Final ballots, posted that night, will have a deadline of February 28. Winners will be announced March 1.