by Eric Beteille
AFI FEST Daily News

Current TV hosts Crystal Fambrini, Nzinga Blake, Jael De Pardo, and Angela Sun arrive at the North American premiere of AMERICAN VISA during AFI FEST 2006 presented by Audi, November 8. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

National cable network Current TV, a primary media partner of AFI FEST 2006 presented by Audi, is set to award more than $115,000 in its Seeds of Tolerance video contest.

The contest, a partnership with the Third Millennium Foundation, whose mission is to promote the understanding of diversity, is also integral to the mission of Current TV. The channel launched in August 2005 as the first national network created by, for and with 18- to 34-year-olds. Programming is supplied in part by the very audience who watches the network.

Submissions for Current TV's Seeds of Tolerance contest closed last month. On December 14, 2006, in an awards ceremony at ArcLight Hollywood's Cinerama Dome, the grand prize of $100,000 will go to a filmmaker who guest judges and Current TV Web site viewers (at www.current.tv) feel tells the best story related to the issue of tolerance.

Current TV guest judges include singer Melissa Etheridge, filmmakers M. Night Shyamalan, Edward Norton and Morgan Spurlock, AFI FEST 2005 guest Margaret Cho, and AFI AWARD winners Jeffrey Wright and Paul Haggis.

The guest judges are reviewing video submissions focused on the issue of tolerance, covering topics that include racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism and discrimination based on social class, physical disability or religion.

The audience can get in on the action too. Current TV is posting five semi-finalists on its Web site (current.tv/tolerance) where the public can cast votes for the grand-prize winner. It's a chance to view the contest's best submissions and have a say in who takes home the $100,000 prize.

And, as part of the Seeds of Tolerance grand prize, Current TV also pledges an additional $15,000 to a relevant charity. Other contest finalists will win $10,000 each.

The five top entries (grand prize winner, two finalists, two semi-finalists) will be broadcast on Current TV, available in 28 million US homes via Comcast, Time Warner and DIRECTV.

Guest judge Paul Haggis, producer of MILLION DOLLAR BABY, an AFI Movies of the Year Official Selection in 2004, commented on the Seeds of Tolerance program by quoting President John F. Kennedy: "'If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can make the world safe for diversity.'"

Haggis continued: "Unfortunately, that dream is farther than ever from being fulfilled. I commend Current TV for recognizing that it is our differences that make us stronger and for encouraging young people to embrace the spirit of tolerance."

"Change starts with listening," said Marco Stoffel, president of Third Millennium Foundation, which provides the cash awards. "Instead of preaching the message of tolerance to young adults, we want to challenge them to discuss the issue by using their own creativity, voices and perspectives. By making compelling content for TV and the Internet, we invite everyone to join the dialogue."

Current CEO Joel Hyatt commented: "Current is about empowering young people to share their voice and discuss issues that are important to them. An issue as critical as intolerance should be important to all of us, and I hope that the submissions in this campaign will give us vital insight from this generation on how we can move forward as a society with respect and understanding."

Current TV
Seeds of Tolerance
Awards Ceremony
December 14, 7:00 PM
ArcLight Hollywood
Cinerama Dome
www.current.tv