Lincoln tops list of awarded films that inspire, educate and engage.
Heartland Truly Moving Pictures has released its Top 10 list of Truly Moving Picture Award-winning films of 2012. Lincoln, director Steven Spielberg’s record seventh film to receive the Award, took the top spot. Les Misérables and The Intouchables, from Universal Pictures and The Weinstein Company respectively, followed closely behind. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and Moonrise Kingdom round out the list of top films that inspire, educate and engage audiences of all ages.
“It’s always hard to narrow down a given year’s Truly Moving Picture Award recipients, and this year was no exception. But with the help of our Truly Moving Picture Award jury, we were able to compile this top 10 list,” said Tim Irwin, Artistic Director. “I’m proud of the diversity of films represented, from major releases like Lincoln, Les Misérables and Brave to smaller and powerful films like The Intouchables and Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry. This year’s list is a great representation of what we are about here at Heartland.”
The Top 10 Truly Moving Picture Award winners of 2012 include:
1. Lincoln – Walt Disney Pictures
In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, President Abraham Lincoln pursues a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country and abolish slavery. With the moral courage and fierce determination to succeed, his choices during this critical moment will change the fate of generations to come.
2. Les Misérables – Universal Pictures
Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption—a timeless testament to the endurance of the human spirit. Ex-prisoner Jean Valjean is hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.
3. The Intouchables – The Weinstein Company
After a paragliding accident, Philippe became paralyzed from the neck down. He has a full staff at his estate, but he needs a personal caretaker to help him move around. The only person who caught his eye during the application process was Driss, a younger man from the projects who was only there to be rejected so he can keep collecting unemployment checks. Driss is hired and an unlikely friendship is formed between them as they experience laughter and heartbreak.
4. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – Paramount Pictures
A year after his father died in the World Trade Center on what Oskar calls “The Worst Day,” he is determined to keep his vital connection to the man who playfully cajoled him into confronting his wildest fears. Now, as Oskar crosses the five New York boroughs in quest of the missing lock he begins to uncover unseen links to the father he misses, to the mother who seems so far away from him and to the whole noisy, dangerous, discombobulating world around him.
5. Brave – Disney•Pixar
Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.
6. Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry – Sundance Selects
This is the inside story of a dissident for the digital age who inspires global audiences and blurs the boundaries of art and politics. First-time director Alison Klayman gained unprecedented access to Ai while working as a journalist in China. Her detailed portrait provides a nuanced exploration of contemporary China and one of its most compelling public figures.
7. The Odd Life of Timothy Green – Walt Disney Pictures
Cindy and Jim Green are a happily married couple who can’t wait to start a family, but can only dream about what their child would be like. When young Timothy shows up on their doorstep one stormy night, Cindy and Jim — and their small town of Stanleyville — learn that sometimes the unexpected can bring some of life’s greatest gifts.
8. Chimpanzee – Disneynature
An adorable young chimpanzee named Oscar and his entertaining approach to life star in a remarkable story of family bonds and individual triumph. Oscar’s playful curiosity and zest for discovery showcase the intelligence and ingenuity of some of the most extraordinary personalities in the animal kingdom. Working together, Oscar’s chimpanzee family—including his mom, Isha, and the group’s savvy leader, Freddy — navigates the complex territory of the forest.
9. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen – CBS Films
Stuffy government fisheries scientist Fred is asked by a fishing-obsessed Arab Sheik to do the seemingly impossible – introduce British salmon to the Wadis of the Yemen. Despite considerable trepidation, Fred is finally won over by the charismatic Arab, who reveals that fishing brings him closer to God, and he hopes it will have the same effect on his countrymen.
10. Moonrise Kingdom – Focus Features
On an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, two 12-year-olds fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore – and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in every which way.
By bestowing the Truly Moving Picture Award seal to honored films, Heartland allows studios and distributors to inform audiences of a film’s transformative power and appeal. In turn, Heartland hopes that audiences who have been meaningfully impacted by these films will then recognize and continue to look for the Truly Moving Picture Award seal to use as a guide in selecting films.
