The Color of Friendship receives the Humanitas Award
Writer Paris Qualles Awarded Prestigious Humanitas Prize For Disney Channel's Original Movie, "The Color of Friendship''
Film That Tackles Issues of Tolerance and Race Relations Honored in the Humanitas Prize Children's Live Action Category
The Humanitas Prize Organization awarded writer Paris Qualles its prestigious Humanitas Prize today in the Children's Live Action Category for his creation of Disney Channel's original movie, "The Color of Friendship,'' an inspiring and hopeful film that addresses the issues of race relations and tolerance through the friendship of two teenage girls.
The Humanitas Prize, created 26 years ago, annually honors writers in the entertainment industry whose work enriches and enlightens their audiences. The prizes and $130,000 are given to the writers of those television programs and motion pictures which do the most to communicate human values to their viewers.
Inspired by actual events, "The Color of Friendship'' tells the story of African-American Congressman Ron Dellums and his family, who opened their home to an African exchange student in 1977. Expecting to meet a person of color, they are surprised when a white South African girl arrives, but no more so than the girl, a product of the Apartheid system who views black people as second-class citizens. The situation teaches them all valuable lessons about tolerance and racism.
"The Color of Friendship" is executive produced by Alan Sacks, produced by Chris Morgan, and produced and directed by Kevin Hooks ("Passenger 57") and stars Carl Lumbly ("How Stella Got Her Groove Back," "Nightjohn," "On Promised Land") as Congressman Ron Dellums. The film premiered on Disney Channel in February 2000 in celebration of Black History Month.
The Humanitas Prize was founded in April 1974 to encourage the creation of humanizing productions. It was created with an initial three-year grant of $180,000 from the Lilly Foundation and is now financed by an endowment from the Broadcast and Entertainment industries. To date, the Humanitas Prize has dispensed over 182 awards and almost $1.9 million in prize money to television and motion picture writers whose work best encourages human values.
-- Posted July 13, 2000
Source: Company Press Release