A still from 'Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel'. Courtesy Playboy Archives
Although I’m confused as to why the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) would nominate the predominantly white film The Kids Are All Right for an Outstanding Motion Picture Image award against For Colored Girls, Just Wright, The Book of Eli (?!), and Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too?, I am happy to see Brigitte Berman’s documentary, Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel (#7 on our Top 10 Canadian Films of 2010), get a nom for Outstanding Documentary (Theatrical or Television).
“I’ve been fortunate to have received many prestigious awards over the years, but this recognition by the NAACP of the documentary’s strong focus on civil rights and social justice, is most gratifying,” Berman said in a statement sent out to press.
While the doc touches on the beginnings and history of Hefner’s Playboy magazine empire, its main focus is the role Hefner played in breaking down barriers for women and African Americans. Hefner himself actually received a special Image award from the NAACP a few years ago for his commitment to civil rights, and this nomination for Berman’s film is well deserved.
The NAACP Image Awards honour individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavours, and celebrate the accomplishments of people of colour in the fields of television, music, literature and film. The awards will be handed out in Los Angeles on March 4, and will be televised live beginning at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. For a full list of nominees, and for more information on the 42nd NAACP Image Awards, visit naacpimageawards.net.
