“One of the greatest ways to capture the attention and teach our world about the devastating effect of bullying is through film. One healing film that goes viral can quickly impact more hearts and minds than one million classes on the subject,” says John Viscount, creator of the powerful new screenplay The Principle.
International Award-Winning filmmakers launched a Kickstarter campaign for this new transformational short film starring Academy Award nominee Sharon Stone and directed by Academy Award nominee James Cromwell.
“The Principle” is the second film from Viscount and ONE Film Company. It’s a modern dramatic parable that deals with the devastating plague of the digital age — cyber-bullying. Tragically, the global reach and 24-hour accessibility of today’s internet and social media platforms make cyber-bullying an even greater problem than traditional bullying because it affects more people and is more rapidly spreading — 43% of kids have been bullied online and one in four has had it happen more than once.
Viscount has also adapted “The Principle” into a hybrid three-act play that merges profound philosophical teachings, high drama and social activism. The debut production will be directed by Barry Brodie at the Sho Art, Spirit & Performance in Windsor, Ontario.
Viscount’s first film, “Admissions” stars Academy Award nominee James Cromwell. He leads a culturally diverse cast in a tragic and hopeful story that tackles directly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to reveal at its heart, a profoundly human struggle. To date, “Admissions” has won 26 awards on four continents and has been screened for world leaders and governmental bodies. Additionally, the film is translated into Arabic, Hebrew, Spanish, and Farsi, and has been broadcast to over 80 million people.
After viewing “Admissions”, Ms. Stone proclaimed it her favorite film of the year and reached out to Viscount. She asked him to write a script for her addressing the issue of cyber-bullying and agreed to be the spokesperson for the film. Stone and Viscount plan to introduce the film into school curriculums across the globe with a classroom discussion guide.
“By examining humanity’s intractable problems in a very modern and dramatic context, the purpose of these short films is to do more than just spark a conversation – the hope is to inspire real action,” stated Viscount.
John Viscount is co-founder of PeaceNow.com, a one billion person, online signature campaign to enact a United Nations Global Resolution that creates Departments & Ministries of Peace in governments worldwide.
PeaceNow.com is a 501c3 non-profit organization that to date, has signers from over 190 countries. In July 2015, Sharon Stone, global humanitarian, activist, actor and mother of three children, joined the Board of Directors.
John Viscount is also the author of Mind What Matters, A Pep Talk for Humanity.
