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Pope Francis, Hillary Clinton and former UN chief Ban Ki-Moon will be honored at the upcoming Cinema for Peace gala in Berlin on February 19.
The long-running gala run by the Cinema for Peace Foundation will be accompanied by the inaugural World Forum on the Future Of Democracy, Tech and Humankind.
The latter event will run from February 18 to 19 at the Allianz Forum next to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin with the aim of promoting the renewal of democracy and freedom at a time when both are under threat.
The Cinema for Peace Foundation was created in 2008 an international non-profit organization with the goal to foster change through film. Over the years it has worked with a host of stars including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney.
Clinton and Ban will attend the February 19 gala in person while Pope Francis will participate via video-link. They will be presented with their Cinema for Peace prizes by Sharon Stone, Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk, and Irish singer-song writer and political activist Bob Geldof.
The gala will also include the ceremony for the annual Cinema for Peace awards celebrating films that tackle the perception and resolution of global social, political, and humanitarian challenges of our time, with its Cinema for Peace awards.
Nominees this year include The Zone of Interest, Oppenheimer, Barbie and Killers of the Flower. Scroll down for full list.
There will be a special award for filmmakers whose work supports the protection of Jewish life, in remembrance of the Holocaust and the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, in which 1,200 people were killed and another 240 taken hostage.
The evening will also feature an auction with items on offer including artwork by Stone.
The gala guest list features actors Helen Mirren, Omar Sy, Mario Adorf, Veronica Ferres, Thomas Kretschmann, Nastassja Kinski, Didi Hallervorden, Ben Becker, Jan Josef Liefers and the German band The BossHoss.
Further invitees include Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s first ever female Foreign Minister, Finance Minister Christian Lindner and journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, who rose to fame after she protested against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on a live news bulletin.
Pope Francis will be honoured together with the film Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom by Evgeny Afineevsky, for his contributions to the freedom of Ukraine and humanitarian efforts to protect civilians and children.
Further events taking place within the frame of the World Forum include the world premiere of Quiet Diplomat: Ban Ki-moon and the Future of the United Nations followed by a discussion with Ban, as well as separate special evenings with Clinton and Stone.
Berlin’s Galerie Deschler will also host Stone’s Art Exhibition Totem featuring works being shown outside of the U.S. for the first time.
Nominees for the 2024 Cinema for Peace Awards
Cinema for Peace Dove for The Most Valuable Film of the Year 2024
Cinema for Peace Dove for The Most Valuable Documentary of the Year 2024
The Cinema for Peace Dove for Women’s Empowerment 2024
The Cinema for Peace Dove for The Political Film of the Year 2024
The Cinema for Peace Dove for Justice 2024
International Green Film Award 2024