Movie lovers need to look no further for inspiration in these uncertain times as actress and UNHCR Ambassador Kristin Davis along with Sex and the City co-star and activist Cynthia Nixon release their personal film Watchlist today in a new video series from IMDb and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency called ‘Films of Hope’.
The series, originally introduced by UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Cate Blanchett earlier this year, will see a number of famous faces from the entertainment industry including Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Neil Gaiman, Guillermo del Toro and Gugu Mbatha-Raw reveal their own ‘Films of Hope’ Watchlist in personal, thought-provoking videos to be released throughout the holiday season. In compelling, short-filmed conversations, they will reveal why they have chosen each movie, the themes represented in each film, and talk about their own hope for the world to come together to support vulnerable communities that need help in the fight against COVID-19, including refugees. The ‘Films of Hope’ series will be available on the IMDb What to Watch page, which helps entertainment fans discover and decide what to watch, and also provides personalized film and TV Shows recommendations, monthly streaming guides, and fan favorite picks.
Revealed today (24 November 2020), Davis and Nixon’s ‘Films of Hope’ Watchlist includes Billy Elliot, Selma, Akeelah and the Bee and documentaries Virunga, Knock Down the House and After Spring. In an intimate and moving conversation about why these titles inspire them, they also encourage viewers to consider donating to the UN’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO that supports agencies like the UN Refugee Agency to train health care workers and provide critical supplies to help curb the spread of the virus amongst vulnerable refugee populations around the world.
Kristin Davis commented, “My friend Cynthia and I have taken part in IMDb and UNHCR’s ‘Films of Hope’ not just because we wanted to share with others the films that give us hope through these challenging times, but also to call for the world to come together in solidarity in the fight against COVID-19, and to help raise funds for the most vulnerable, including refugees. The UN’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO is a unique fund working to detect, prevent and respond to the pandemic. It needs urgent funds to support partners like the UN Refugee Agency to reach some of the most vulnerable in the world – refugees – in the fight against COVID-19. Right now we all need to work together to beat COVID-19. Every one of us and every action counts.”
Funds raised through the series will go to support the work of UN’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO, in its immediate global efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to the pandemic, especially where needs are greatest. Through partnering with UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, the Solidarity Response Fund also supports work to prevent infection and stop the virus in some of the most high-risk settings in the world, supporting UNHCR to protect refugees and internally displaced people in places like South Sudan, Bangladesh and Syria.
Watch the full discussion between Davis and Nixon ["here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gShg9CdfBhk&feature=youtu.be]. Upcoming episodes will be released in the coming weeks and will be available at www.imdb.com/watch.
The “What to Watch” series first came to life this past April when actor, producer and Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency, Cate Blanchett, collaborated with IMDb and UNHCR to release a video curating her own thought-provoking Watchlist featuring ‘Films of Hope’ to get movie lovers through difficult times. The films chosen by Blanchett featured themes of human resilience, isolation and what it means to have hope and home. See her video of recommended titles here.
Across the series, IMDb users will be able to add the moving and hopeful films, as well as other titles, to their IMDb Watchlist, available here.
Viewers and movie lovers can share their own ‘Films of Hope’ using the hashtag #FilmsofHope and tagging @IMDb or @Refugees.
To donate go to www.Covid19ResponseFund.org.
