Angelina Jolie at the Symposium on International Law and Justice
On Friday, October 17th, Angelina Jolie was the introductory speaker at the Symposium on International Law and Justice in New York City. The session in question was in regards to Darfur, which has been close to Angie’s heart for quite some time. The Council on Foreign Relations mentioned that the symposium is made possible through the regular support of the Jolie-Pitt Foundation.
Check out the full five-plus-minute video of the speech given by Angelina Jolie. I love that she’s more than just a talented actress and more than just a loving mother, she’s someone who keeps standing up to try to make the world a better place.
There’s also a write up over here which is somewhat annoying because a) it’s titled “She’s Actually Smart” (um, no kidding?) and b) it manages to mention Jennifer Aniston in the second paragraph (let.it.go. I’m sure Jenn would really like the world to stop bringing it up). But hey, you take what you can get, right?
I was particularly affected by the quote Angelina made after saying, “I believe there’s no enduring peace without justice.” She went on to drive the point home by stating:
“After seven years in the field I have a lot to learn, but I do know that no mother who had her children killed in front of her, no young girl sold into slavery, no boy kidnapped and forced to be a child soldier, no young girl, like the three year old I saw with her limbs cut off, should be expected to forget. No one should have to choose between peace and justice.”
Well said.
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POSTED IN: Activism, Angelina Jolie, Video
56 opinions for Angelina Jolie at the Symposium on International Law and Justice
kim
Oct 20, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Well said AJ!!
Ligaya
Oct 20, 2008 at 3:11 pm
More than anything else, I love Angelina for this - her humanitarian work.
We should look out for that New Yorker profile - it might come out soon because of Changeling. I’m really looking forward to it.
angela
Oct 20, 2008 at 3:30 pm
what’s not to admire about her?
thanks for the video sherry.
FOXY BROWN
Oct 20, 2008 at 3:34 pm
A Mighty Heart!!!
Helen
Oct 20, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I will definitely go see Changeling this weekend. I live in NYC, so.
Lara
Oct 20, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Sherry, I was particulary moved by that quote also. Really smart and to tha point. It made me think “wow! this is the most real thing I have ever heard”.
Ligaya, I also lover her mostly for her humanitarian work. In fact, I became an Angie fan when I found out the work that she does for the refugees and for the children. Than I began to watch her movies and observe her as an actress. She is so involved and dedicated to her work. She is the real deal. And such a powerful woman.
isacutie
Oct 20, 2008 at 5:39 pm
In that article that Ligaya gave the link to, from the daily beast i think it was, the writer touched on how some people think about angie, that she is just an actress out for some PR. But I think her true dedication to the causes she supports shine through in her actions and words. She will always have her critics, but I think she has proven, far more than her contemporaries, that even actors (who many may think are selfish and self-absorbed) are more than just people we watch to entertain, but people who, even in small ways, can make a difference.
Lili May
Oct 20, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Thank you for the link and the video Sherry! I so admire Angie, not just for her beauty but more so for her humanitarian work.
Hello to all you lovey Pittwatchers!
chevjuls
Oct 20, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Sherry, thank you so much for this recorded speech. I am not trying to be funny but,
“”ANGIE FOR SECRETARY OF STATE”" this lady
is so very intelligent, smart and more, this is the reason why she is so loved and respected. God bless her and her family.
lili
Oct 20, 2008 at 6:48 pm
what can i say..she is really a wonderful woman and a mom..
Barb in Tahoe
Oct 20, 2008 at 8:12 pm
I’m so proud of Angelina and people like her. That’s what America is all about. People world wide love her for all she has done to put a spotlight on children in need and funding foundations all over the globe.
cristine
Oct 20, 2008 at 8:22 pm
oh angie i love you more. i have nothing else to say. you are indeed a remarkable woman. i pray that God will continue to bless you and your family!
Ligaya
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Chevjuls, that’s not an odd idea at all. As 2-time Pulitzer Prize-winner Nicholas Kristof pointed out, Angelina has been to Darfur 3 times - twice more than Condoleeza Rice (who was buying expensive shoes during Katrina’s destruction).
Kristof was part of the panel with Angelina. He took exception to the tone of Nancy Collins’ Daily Beast article:
http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/20/angelina-jolie-and-darfur/
Ligaya
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:18 pm
UNDER MOD:
Chevjuls, that’s not an odd idea at all . . .
gena
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Angie is a very smart and dedicated person. I watched her Charlie Rose interview for “Beyond Borders” where she talks about getting involved in UHNCR. She also talks about the storyline of the movie about how the two main characters fall in love, how they support each other and have the same purpose. Sounds like a relationship of our two favorite people, Angie and Brad. It is so funny because this was before she met Brad.
Heres the video if anyone wants to watch it.
http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2003/10/24/1/a-conversation-with-actress-angelina-jolie
neil
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:34 pm
It could be nervousness but I choose to believe the points she was raising were emotional triggers for her. But she had a job to do and she did it with a weeping heart and a clenched fist. I remember the lyrics from a song I think by the Rasta musician Peter Tosh whrere he sings, ” Everybody wants peace on Earth, All I want is justice!”
sam
Oct 20, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Christ ALIVE. Who on earth would cut off the limbs of a three year old? what is the POINT!!! :| jeesus..
Ligaya
Oct 20, 2008 at 10:07 pm
***CORRECTION*** & REMINDER -
CHANGELING ALERT:
HBO will have “First Look: Changeling” TOMORROW, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2008.
HBO-W 7:15 pm PT
HBO-E 4:15 pm PT
On my Dish satellite HBO’s various channels start at 300.
“First Look” usually airs several times on HBO’s different channels. It’s a behind the scenes look on set on the shoot, new & different mini-interviews with Clintalina.
Ligaya
Oct 20, 2008 at 10:09 pm
I’m pleading with all Jolie-Pitt fans to attend the 1st weekend in your city, even if you usually don’t go to the theater at all. The industry and viewers in general gauge a movie’s (and by extension, its stars’) success by the 1st weekend grosses. Gone are the days when a movie could stay for months or even over a year in the theaters – now movies are gone in a week if they don’t perform up to expectations.
Success breeds success and good B.O. numbers & word-of-mouth make people more interested in going.
I think it was Cee who asked what we fans could do besides not buy the tabs. We can go to see Angie’s movies – one of the best ways to make the h8ters shut up temporarily is quote her per movie grosses and her lifetime gross. Those are numbers they can’t refute. They prove Angelina’s popularity and clout. Angelina’s lifetime grosses = (24 films) $1,191,365,852. That’s $1.2 BILLION. (All figures from boxofficemojo.)
Oscar analysts said a better AMH B.O. could have been the tipping point for Angie’s Oscar nomination. The Academy likes arty stuff – but with financial success.
BlessBrangelina
Oct 20, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Nice rallying Ligaya.
The 24th Oct opening is a limited.
It also opens wide on 31st Oct
Lucy
Oct 21, 2008 at 12:06 am
Angie is a very smart and intelligent woman. Her humanitarian work speaks for itself not to even mention the “hidden talent” as what Cliff mentioned.
jackie
Oct 21, 2008 at 4:13 am
LIgaya I always go and support Bradand Angies movies on the opening weekend,I am going on Oct 31 with my friend because that is when it opens wide which is way more important than this week because its limited.Boxoffice analyst won’t be saying alot about this weekend because its only 15 theatres next week is when they will say if its going to do good because it will be wide opening so I encourage people to reallygo on the 31st to help drive up the boxoffice.
irma
Oct 21, 2008 at 5:30 am
I can’t watch Changeling on the first day of opening but I will try to see it here in Germany when it comes out here.I arrived here Yesterday, I’m happy to see my daughter,son in law & my new g-son.Also happy that I am breathing the same air as the Jolie-Pitt’s are breathing.
God bless the Jolie-Pitt’s.
gena G.
Oct 21, 2008 at 6:09 am
TO ALL THE FILIPINOS’, LET ME REMIND YOU ALL THAT ANGIE ALSO HELP OUR PILIPINO CHILDREN THAT ARE HERE BEEN SOLD TO SLAVERY. AND WE CAN ALSO SHARE BY DONATING SOMETHING TO THE JOLIE PITT FOUNDATION. OH YES SHE HAS A ” MIGHTY, MIGHTY HEART”
gena G.
Oct 21, 2008 at 6:14 am
LIGAYA. IM NOT WORRIED ABOUT ANGIES BOX OFFICE CAPABILITY. MIGHTY HEART WAS NOT A LOSER. IT WAS JUST NOT SHOWN WIDELY BECAUSE OF ITS CONTEXT, BUT STILL MAKING MILLIONS ON ITS WEEKEND SHOWING. THIS ONE WOULD BE A GREAT ONE BECAUSE IT WILL BE SHOWN EVERYWHERE. SHE IS A GREAT ACTRESS ,WITH A BEAUTIFUL FACE AND A BEAUTIFUL HEART. AND WE ALL LOVE HER.
Ligaya
Oct 21, 2008 at 7:01 am
I posted excerpts from new interview with critic Peter Travers (I think with Rolling Stone) for ABC News on the “Today Show” thread - includes how she protects the kids from tabloid stuff.
Ligaya
Oct 21, 2008 at 7:33 am
Jackie, you and I are both right. ;-) The Oct. 31 weekend when Changeling opens wide will be the proof of the pudding.
AND there’s also this thing called “per-screen-average” that is calculated for every movie (limited & wide) every day & weekend by stasticians like boxofficemojo, boxofficeprophets, etc.
For movies in limited release, it’s an important indicator of the movie’s success when it opens wide. It has happened that a movie showing only on one screen has a bigger per-screen-average than a movie on 3000 screens. That gives it buzz and leads to more success.
Studios use the per-screen-average from the opening weekend (limited and wide) to decide how much more money to put into advertising - print ads, tv spots, internet, billboards, buses, etc. A bad opening per-screen-average will often lead to cutting their losses and minimizing advertising - which leads to worse per-screen-average.
So the moral of the story is OCT. 24-26 LIMITED RELEASE IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT - ESPECIALLY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT OSCAR NOMINATIONS for Best Actress/Director/Picture etc. The Oscar-ologists already have Angelina, Clint and Changeling on their awards prediction lists.
Ligaya
Oct 21, 2008 at 7:40 am
PLUS there is an effort among some Oscarologists to minimize and discredit Changeling, Angelina and Clint. I’ll post about this later. Great box office will neutralize these naysayers.
You might ask what’s the basis of my opinion? My 2 sons are in the business. One of them, writer-director Ryan Fleck (award-winning Half Nelson, Oscar nom for Ryan Gosling) knows very well how crucial opening weekend and per-screen-average are. My sons teach me a lot of the inner workings of the movie business.
Mary Ann
Oct 21, 2008 at 8:53 am
I can’t wait to see the movie. I am going to send PopPop out with the granddaughters to watch that dog movie and I am going to see Changeling. My daughter and son-in-law are going on a 3 day trip up to Salem, MASS to checkout the witch situation. So we will be spending alot of time with the grandkids. Movies, pumpkin picking, hay ride and a maze.
soopx
Oct 21, 2008 at 10:00 am
Love Angelina,She is one of the Most Compassionate Lady on this earth.
Blessings to this Beautiful Lady and Her Family.
dhc
Oct 21, 2008 at 10:07 am
I am wondering just how much Angelina and Brad really worry about their box office appeal or winning awards. I think it is more important to them to do good work in every sense of that term. Of course they make movies for us to see and the more that see them the better, but I get the sense that dollar amounts and box office appeal are no longer priorities for them.
betty
Oct 21, 2008 at 10:33 am
Some may say that Brad and Angie use their humanitarian stints to promote their movies. But I think it’s the other way around. For example, Angie is taking advantage of her Changeling premiere to bring publicity to her most recent causes/concerns, ie, the IL&J symposium and the latest project with Microsoft to help displaced children. While we’ll still be talking about Changeling until the end of the year, Angie will be gearing up on her next projects. For the beginning of next year when we’ll be focused on Brad and I.B. movie, Angie will be “in hiding” until she starts Edwin A Salt in February. In the interim, tabs will spin tales about her. She shows herself to the public mostly to promote a movie and cause, not because she’s a media hog.
Ligaya
Oct 21, 2008 at 11:45 am
You’re right in the absolute sense, DHC, especially about awards and wealth. Angelina said – and Brad very likely agrees – that she wants to be remembered for her humanitarian work – not as being an actress. She was very proud when one of her op-eds (don’t remember whether Washington Post or the Economist) didn’t include “actress” in their description of her.
As one of the professional awards analysts Sasha Stone (Awards Daily) said when asked about Angie’s chances this year, Sasha thought Angelina made movies for her humanitarian/philanthropic projects not for awards. I agree with her, and I think that Angie doesn’t really make movies for us fans or for the general viewing public either. She makes movies so that she has money for fund all her good works. That’s one of Brad & Angie’s most useful contributions as humanitarians – money for Katrina housing, money for Ozark kids and American & Iraqi kids victimized by the war, TB/HIV-AIDS clinics, Doctors Without Borders, KIND, etc.
There are thousands of aid workers who care as much and work as hard as – or even harder than – Angelina. They don’t have any money and they can’t make the media pay attention. Angelina wanted to be an aid worker, then she realized she could contribute more if she remained an actress, donate a third of her income, and use her fame and celebrity as a media magnet to shine the light on situations nobody in the media cared about.
There is a link to box office numbers. If Brad and Angie’s popularity and earning power as A-list actors start sinking like, for example, Tom Cruise and John Travolta, will they have such easy access to promote their projects or even movies to CNN, Larry King, Charlie Rose, the Daily Show, morning shows and late night shows? Show business is BUSINESS first and foremost. B&A will only get airtime and column inches proportionate to their success as actors and ability to generate higher ratings, website traffic, sales, etc. Even Bono’s first claim is being part of U2. When their movies stop making money, they’re not going to find work.
Brad’s ability, not only to contribute $5 million to MIR, but also to get all the media attention (even just for walking around in the Lower 9th Ward) – tv interviews, newspapers, internet, etc. – for it comes directly from his celebrity status and A-list earning power. Stephen Bing, a producer, has contributed almost as much money for various causes – but he’s not ‘sexy’ enough to get any press – and his causes don’t either.
There are reasons why the UN has a celebrity Goodwill Ambassador program: 1) get media attention on humanitarian situations, 2) generate donations through example, and 3) get donations directly from the ambassadors. There are lots of UN Goodwill Ambassadors working in different sections, e.g. UNICEF, UNIFEM. I don’t think Angelina is even the *only* UNHCR goodwill ambassador. Angelina is the most famous, hard-working, generous, effective goodwill ambassador the UN has had. She’s been effective and gotten important messages out and raised a lot of money. And partly, or initially, because of her movie star status.
I don’t know if this is making sense and if I’m not getting my point across – but I shared my thoughts, anyway. :-)
Ligaya
Oct 21, 2008 at 11:46 am
UNDER MOD:
You’re right in the absolute sense, DHC, especially about awards and wealth. Angelina said – . . .
Lara
Oct 21, 2008 at 11:52 am
Ligaya, be sure that I will be there on 31, because, sadly for me, I do not have access on 24. When wanted hit the theatres I went to see it the whole week :P I loved it so much the first time that I had to see it again, then the rest of the week I went with different friends. And I am sure that Changeling will be a success. The subject of the movie may not be very close to the young generation, but still I have hope.
Lara
Oct 21, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Dhc, they probably do not worry that much anymore, though they must not be totally indifferent. Their job gives them the resources to fund their close to heart projects and provide for their kids. I think that it is more important to us, as fans, to see that they are appreciated, awarded and recognized for their tallent as actors and that their movies earn big. Like Ligaya said, it is also a way not to close the mouth of the those who speak nonsense(because I don’t think it is possible), but at least to prove them wrong again. Not to mention the fact that, from the trailer, the movie seams to be really good. And I am sure that it is.
Ligaya, I’ve also read those efforts that you mentioned. It’s a shame.
April
Oct 21, 2008 at 1:27 pm
You bet your ass! What she said is exactly right.
sarita
Oct 21, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I live in NYC and will try to see Changeling on the limited release weekend AND the wide release weekend.
In an interview with Angie by the NYTimes (go to NYTimes online..the article is still on the “front page”), the writer seems to indicate that Angie is less interested in making movies now than she is in her humanitarian work. I think she did a great job at the symposium, and she’s looking more and more like someone who is an international ambassador first, an actor second. I’d be sad if she stopped doing movies altogether, but really, more power to her.
irma
Oct 21, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I hope she will still make movies, maybe 2 a year will be fine. Now, that she & Brad have big family I’m sure they talked about it & give much thought & consideration.God bless the Jolie-Pitt’s.
BRANGELINA FOREVER
Oct 21, 2008 at 3:02 pm
This made me love Angelina even more, if that’s even possible. She inspires me. I’m young, and it makes me upset when people say that young ladies probably look up to Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears. They couldn’t be more wrong. I love, admire and respect Angelina Jolie. She inspires me to keep going, and watching her movies, and the happiness her family gives her makes me feel hopeful. She’s the person that HAS called my attention to the refugee situation. I have to say I would have not known as much about refugees without her. I volunteer my time and keep up with UNHCR because of her. I try to do my small part because of her. And also raise awareness within my friends and family. She helps me keep my head straight and keep going.
BRANGELINA FOREVER
Oct 21, 2008 at 3:04 pm
You could tell she really cares. She said her speech with sincere emotion. She looks like she’s trying to hold back the tears. Wow, God, please bless this wonderful women and her family.
angela
Oct 21, 2008 at 3:12 pm
i’ll go watch it by 31st. :P
oh, i’ve already have my copy of W magazine, fresh from the box of the bookstore - i was the first one to get a copy.
Ligaya
Oct 21, 2008 at 4:14 pm
It’s been a while, as a reminder here are a few raves from Cannes to start with (compare these to the hatchet jobs I’ll post later):
‘THE EXCHANGE’ RAVE REVIEWS
Author: Sasha Stone
http://www.awardsdaily.com/?p=345#comments
isacutie
Oct 21, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Off topic: A friend of a friend of mine did an amazing drawing of Angie on the computer and I just want to share with you guys. Here’s the link to her multiply site with video on it:
http://mescasa.multiply.com/video/item/434/The_Making_of_Angelina_Jolie
isacutie
Oct 21, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Sherry, my previous post with a link to a video is under moderation. It is a video of an artist drawing an amazing photo of Angie on the computer. Should you decide to use it on a post, can you please credit the artist…his name is Jay Mosquera.
Ligaya
Oct 21, 2008 at 6:22 pm
FUN FACTS
• Angelina had to learn to roller skate while wearing high heels for scenes at the telephone exchange, a documented practice of the period.
• Eastwood sometimes asked Jolie to play a scene quietly, as if just for him. At the same time he would ask his cameraman to start filming discreetly, without Jolie’s seeing it. Some of these takes made it into the completed film.
• Amy Ryan cited the filming of a fight scene during which Eastwood showed her “how to throw a movie punch” as her favorite moment of the production.
• “One day we were shooting a scene where [Collins and Briegleb] talk about her case… We started shooting at 9:30 a.m. and it was seven or eight pages, which is usually an 18-hour day. Around 2:30, [Eastwood] goes, ‘That’s lunch and that’s a wrap.’… I’ve made close to 100 films now and that’s certainly a phrase I’ve never heard in my entire life.” —John Malkovich discusses Eastwood’s famously economical directorial style, which extended to Changeling’s set.
• To ensure the veracity of the story, writer Straczynski incorporated quotes from the historical record and direct testimony directly into the script.
• The film was still in post-production one week before the start of the Cannes Film Festival. [This is very common with festival selections; at Toronto, I saw a movie that was finished on a Wednesday and screened on Sunday.]
• Local connection: Killer’s mother who was his accomplice was given a life sentence, served at San Quentin Prison.
CHRISTY
Oct 21, 2008 at 10:45 pm
I am always impress by her, she is at the top of her game. I will always support anything they do, because in the end,it is about helping others.
Ela
Oct 22, 2008 at 8:30 am
This is why I respect Angelina Jolie.
angela
Oct 22, 2008 at 11:12 am
isacutie, i saw that one and i was amazed. he’s really talented.
Lara
Oct 22, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Thx for the fun facts, Ligaya. Really nice.
Brangelina Forever, you seem to be a smart young girl (as you say you are) and it would be so good if many more girls would think as mature as you do.
sarahc
Oct 22, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I think Angelina’s mom instilled a lot of good values in her children and it has stayed fast through all these years. Here’s to all the good she does now and in the future. HERE HERE!!!
D
Oct 22, 2008 at 4:05 pm
huge respect! as a female (actually straight :) I was attracted to her sexually in the very begining, but not just admire her as a human being, and this deep respect will never go away. that is why Jolie is not a star who will fade away, at least not in my world.
thanks again sherry :)
isacutie
Oct 22, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Angela, I’m hoping he’d do more and if he does, I’ll pass on too. :)
Steve
Oct 23, 2008 at 9:15 am
As for smarts, last time she talked she was asked if she saw any evidence of genocide. She didn’t know what it meant, but said she’d check. She did, and reported back that NO there wasn’t. WRONG. Not only is there genocide going on, numerous people have been arrested and are awaiting trial. She’s an idiot who really doesn’t have the knowledge necessary for this kind of thing.
BlessBrangelina
Oct 24, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Oh Steve, you are so obvious. Evidence and context, please!
Seriously you people are like neon lights….
parv
Oct 27, 2008 at 12:29 am
i was never an angelina jolie fan. shes a good actress, but i’ve never been a big fan of her movies. she caught my attention when she started her humanitarian work.
i’m from south india. i’ve seen a lot of cr*p that happens in the cities and rural villages. i’ve seen homeless children wandering the streets and fall into lines of prostitution and child labor. it sickens me that no one does anything about it. that’s just me venting. but the reality is someone does something, somewhere. it may not be enough, but its a small step towards hope. that’s what angelina represents for me.
she is a brilliant actress. but more than that, i love the woman that she is. the humanitarian, the mother. and i can tell they come first for her. my heart just melts when i see her with her children. my respect for her rises when i see her in a war zone, trying to find out how she can ease the suffering, or when she tries to absorb all that she can bring it back to her home and spread awareness.
i’ve heard some say she does this for attention, to boost her image…if people seriously believe that, well, that explains why there’s so much suffering in our world.
people complain when nothings being done, people complain when something IS being done. it’s disgusting. they need to get off their a**es and start making a difference in this world rather than attack those who try to help.
this was a wonderful opening speech. keep it up angelina!
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