Amnesty International rep sees The Blood Diamond
LA Times October 6, 2006 Russell Simmons, the Godfather of Hip Hop, who has - among his countless musical/fashion endeavors - a line of expensive street-wise diamond jewelry, will get to see "The Blood Diamond" way before Oscar-pundits, awards predictors and impatient film critics. Bonnie Abaunza, head of Amnesty International's Celebrity Outreach Program, based in Los Angeles, got to talk with Simmons at a recent star-studded dinner at New York's Museum of Modern Art for Bill Clinton's Global Initiative. And she's asked Warner Bros. to set up a private screening of "Diamond" for Simmons. She also arranged for rapper Kayne West - who has written "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" about the misery diamonds have caused in Africa - to see the film. "Blood Diamond is amazing. It's a very entertaining, dramatic, and exciting movie. But it will definitely get audiences thinking about the problems of conflict diamonds and child soldiers," says Abaunza, has seen an early cut of Ed Zwick's controversial film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou, set during the Sierra Leone civil war in the late '90s. "It's not a boring message movie," says Abaunza. " It's real entertainment. But it's a Trojan Horse. When people see this powerful film, they will be astounded by the acting and the action, but also by what they've learned. Hopefully, people will leave the theatres and start logging on to learn more about these issues and what they can do to help." Among other activities, Amnesty International plans series of ten special screenings on ten campus around the US. They will take students to the theatre and hold salons/meetings afterwards to answer questions, educate and inspire future activists. The "Diamond" screening parties will be similar to the ones done for "Lords of War" featuring Nic Cage. So the "Blood" letting begins. Photo Credits: Russell Simmons, Petra Nemcova and Carmen Electra at the Iconic Gap event in New York. Will seeing "Blood" make him an Amnesty International activist? Jamie McCarthy/WireImage
LA Times October 6, 2006 Russell Simmons, the Godfather of Hip Hop, who has - among his countless musical/fashion endeavors - a line of expensive street-wise diamond jewelry, will get to see "The Blood Diamond" way before Oscar-pundits, awards predictors and impatient film critics. Bonnie Abaunza, head of Amnesty International's Celebrity Outreach Program, based in Los Angeles, got to talk with Simmons at a recent star-studded dinner at New York's Museum of Modern Art for Bill Clinton's Global Initiative. And she's asked Warner Bros. to set up a private screening of "Diamond" for Simmons. She also arranged for rapper Kayne West - who has written "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" about the misery diamonds have caused in Africa - to see the film. "Blood Diamond is amazing. It's a very entertaining, dramatic, and exciting movie. But it will definitely get audiences thinking about the problems of conflict diamonds and child soldiers," says Abaunza, has seen an early cut of Ed Zwick's controversial film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou, set during the Sierra Leone civil war in the late '90s. "It's not a boring message movie," says Abaunza. " It's real entertainment. But it's a Trojan Horse. When people see this powerful film, they will be astounded by the acting and the action, but also by what they've learned. Hopefully, people will leave the theatres and start logging on to learn more about these issues and what they can do to help." Among other activities, Amnesty International plans series of ten special screenings on ten campus around the US. They will take students to the theatre and hold salons/meetings afterwards to answer questions, educate and inspire future activists. The "Diamond" screening parties will be similar to the ones done for "Lords of War" featuring Nic Cage. So the "Blood" letting begins. Photo Credits: Russell Simmons, Petra Nemcova and Carmen Electra at the Iconic Gap event in New York. Will seeing "Blood" make him an Amnesty International activist? Jamie McCarthy/WireImage
