U.S. author and political advocate Dane Waters and “Superpower” co-director Aaron Kaufman introduced the launch of a brand new world nonprofit group, Humanity for Freedom, Monday in Cannes. The group is devoted to the battle towards authoritarian governments by way of instructional and advocacy work.
The group’s world kick-off occasion, 72 Hours for Freedom, will function screenings all over the world of “Superpower,” the documentary about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, co-directed by Kaufman and Sean Penn. The occasion will happen in over a dozen international locations on six continents, beginning in London on June 6 and wrapping in Washington, D.C., June 8, together with stops in Rome; Tbilisi, Georgia; Sofia, Bulgaria; Abuja, Nigeria; Tokyo; Sydney; and Buenos Aires.
Set on the eve of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, “Superpower” is a courage-under-fire portrait of President Zelenskyy, a former actor who all of the sudden discovered himself within the unlikely place of main a rustic at conflict. The movie follows Penn as he travels throughout Ukraine within the months earlier than the Russian assault after which lands a sequence of sit-down interviews with Zelenskyy as soon as the conflict begins.
Produced by Vice, the movie met with a standing ovation after its premiere out of competitors as a Special Gala on the Berlin Film Festival.
“Humanity for Freedom and ‘Superpower’ share an intention to lift up voices of hope and raise awareness around Ukraine’s urgent fight for freedom and justice,” mentioned Penn, in Cannes this week to advertise his newest film, “Black Flies,” which debuted in competitors on the Cannes Film Festival.
Kaufman added: “I am proud to be using our film to bring attention to the atrocities being endured in Ukraine. ‘Superpower’ depicts a leader that represents the best of his people: resilient, strong and fiercely independent. Ukraine will, with the world’s help, ensure that freedom prevails.”
Waters, a political strategist, elephant conservation advocate, filmmaker, media pundit, writer and direct democracy advocate who will function the group’s president, famous that “a number of quick years in the past, no Ukrainian would have believed that their neighborhoods could be the backdrops to conflict crimes, to youngsters being stolen from their loving dad and mom, to dying and destruction at each turning.
“The mission of Humanity for Freedom is clear — we must stop the erosion of freedom,” he continued. “Ukraine is the battlefield, physically and metaphorically, for this generational battle. Standing before us is a simple question: which side are we on? The side of peace and humanity, or violence and hatred? If we fail to pick wisely, the erosion of freedom, globally, will be impossible to halt.”
Humanity for Freedom seeks to coach folks concerning the growing threats to our freedom from authoritarian governments and actions the world over, with the aim of pushing again these threats and serving to safe freedom’s future.
Ongoing actions by the nonprofit group will embrace world multimedia communication outreach drawing consideration to assaults on freedom by authoritarians, working to counter the worldwide menace of Russia’s paramilitary Wagner group, implementing efforts to assist carry Ukraine’s stolen youngsters again from Russia and supporting advocates and leaders who’re standing as much as them on behalf of the rights and liberties of all.
Supporting the initiative, the chief of workers to President Zelenskyy, Andrii Yermak, mentioned: ‘’Freedom and justice. That’s what Ukraine is combating for. And we’re glad to welcome Sean Penn and Humanity for Freedom for standing with us defending these values and making a outstanding affect to unfold the reality concerning the Russian brutal aggression worldwide.”
Penn has been a vocal supporter of the Ukrainian conflict effort because the Russian invasion final yr. On Monday, it was introduced that the Oscar-winning actor had joined “War Through the Eyes of Animals,” a nine-part anthology movie directed by 9 Ukrainian filmmakers that tells the story of the conflict by way of the views of varied animals ensnared by the battle.
Penn will painting an American sound engineer who inadvertently turns into a witness to the outbreak of conflict within the anthology’s ninth and closing section, directed by acclaimed Ukrainian filmmaker Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi (“The Tribe”).