Graz, 5. März 2007 - Joss Whedons Serenity - Flucht in Neue Welten hat in Österreich nicht ausreichende Aufmerksamkeit erhalten, sind sich die OrganisatorInnen der Can't Stop the Serenity-Veranstaltung Graz einig. Ihre Begeisterung für den Film wollen sie zur positiven Veränderung unserer Gesellschaft einsetzen, und diesen erstmals in Graz in Originalfassung zeigen.

Bereits 2006 haben sie die Bemühungen in 47 Städten verfolgt, eine Kampagne zur Unterstützung von Equality Now!, auf die Beine zu stellen (Erlös: $ 65.000). Diese Organisation weist immer wieder auf Diskriminierung von und Gewalt gegen Frauen und Mädchen öffentlich hin. Equality Now! setzt ein besonderes Augenmerk auf Genitalverstümmelung und die Frauenrechtslage in den Entwicklungsländern Afrikas, Lateinamerikas und des Nahen Osten.

Joss Whedon hat mit Buffy - The Vampire Slayer einen Kulthit im anglophonen Raum geschaffen, die mit Angel - The Series einen beliebten Spin-Off hervorbrachte. Außerdem ist er Autor eines von KritikerInnen und LeserInnen gleichermaßen beliebten X-Men Titels (Astonishing X-Men), sowie anderer Comics.
Besonders das Portrait von starken Frauencharakteren in all seinen Arbeiten hat bei der Presse großen Anklang gefunden.

Serenity - Flucht in Neue Welten ist aus der Fernsehserie Firefly entstanden, die in den USA nach nur elf Folgen von FOX abgesetzt wurde. Sie behandelte das Zusammenleben von neun Personen auf der Serenity - einem Raumschiff der Firefly-Klasse im 26. Jahrhundert. Die Kombination von Science-Fiction und Western ermöglicht die realistische Darstellung zweier unterschiedlicher Welten, in der makelbehaftete Charaktere unter widrigen sozialen Umständen auf eine komplex organisierte Hi-Tech-Gesellschaft treffen.
Die guten DVD -Verkaufszahlen der Serie überzeugten Universal, die Serie in einem 2-Stunden-Film aufleben zu lassen.

Am 22. Juni wird in Graz im Rahmen der Internationalen Can't-Stop-The-Serenity-Kampagne ein vielschichtiges Programm um den Film geboten. Zum einen sollen in einer Diskussionsveranstaltung emanzipatorische Tendenzen im Science-Fiction - Film abgesteckt werden, außerdem wird der Film erstmals in Originalfassung in einem Grazer Kino zu sehen sein. Die zweitägige Veranstaltung wird mit einem rauschenden Fest abgerundet.

Der Reinerlös der Grazer Benefizveranstaltung kommt Equality Now! und dem Grazer Frauenhaus zugute, zwei Organisationen, die sich für Frauen in der nächsten Umgebung und international einsetzen.

"Wir, vom Grazer Komitee wollen dem Umstand Rechnung tragen, dass wir uns in der Organisation international vernetzen um Informationen zur lokalen Realisierung auszutauschen, indem wir das Geld zwischen einer international operierenden Frauenorganisation und einer lokal aktiven Fraueninitiative aufteilen", meinte eines der Grazer Kampagnen-Mitglieder.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) January 15, 2007 -- Science fiction fans are notorious for their passion for their favorite film or television series, launching massive letter writing campaigns to save their show, or attending conventions dressed as their favorite character. Fans of "Serenity" and "Firefly" are working to convert that passion into positive global change with a series of charity events.

In 2006, organizers answered the call to hold "Can't Stop The Serenity" events in 47 cities around the world, raising over $65,000 for the women's rights advocacy group Equality Now by holding screenings of the Joss Whedon film "Serenity." The goal for 2007 is to hold events in over 50 cities across the globe on or around Saturday, June 23, raising over $100,000 in donations.

As of January 11, organizers in 40 cities in seven countries have signed on to hold a benefit screening. Details on planning an event can be found at

http://www.CantStopTheSerenity.com, as well as a current list of participants.

"The slogan 'done the impossible' means a lot to fans of 'Firefly' and 'Serenity.' In 2006, we did the impossible. In 2007, we're topping it," global organizer Devin Pike said.

"In most cases, when you see a fan-based event centering on a particular show, it's almost out of a sense of self-gratification. 'We want more of our show,' or 'We want more stories from this crew of actors and writers.' With the Can't Stop The Serenity events, it's a bit different. People across the planet are gathering resources to benefit a great charitable organization, by screening a film they know has a fervent fanbase."

In the first year of Can't Stop The Serenity events, the vast majority of organizers were learning how to put together a benefit from scratch. Pike says the experience was invaluable, and the 2007 screenings will be better all around.

"There will be several new organizers on board this year, and the questions we had to answer for ourselves will be the same ones they'll ask. The level of collaboration will be fantastic."

Equality Now, the charity benefiting from the screenings, works to end violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world through the mobilization of public pressure. Some of the issues Equality Now addresses are female genital mutilation (FGM), women's rights in Third World countries and suffrage in the Middle East.

Amanda Sullivan, Women's Action Network Director of Equality Now, is enthusiastic about the response the "Can't Stop The Serenity" movement has generated. "All of us at Equality Now continue to be amazed by and grateful for the Browncoats' and Serenity fans' generous and committed support for our work. Their energy and enthusiasm is inspiring and these screenings are coming at a critical time when we are especially in need of funds! We thank each and every one of them."

"These events are unlike anything else in fandom," Pike said. You don't see people putting on screenings of their favorite movie on a whim in one city, let alone 50 cities across the world. The organizers of Can't Stop The Serenity are a really special group of people, and they're creating something truly unique."

The June 23 date was chosen for two reasons: first, it's writer / director Joss Whedon's birthday; second, it marks the anniversary of a series of sneak previews Universal Pictures held to raise interest in "Serenity" in the "Firefly" fan base, known as "Browncoats."

About "Firefly" and "Serenity" (from Wikipedia.org) "Firefly" is a science fiction television series that premiered in the United States and Canada in 2002. The series was developed by Joss Whedon, who also created the cult favorite "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." The series concept merged the classic Western genre with a science fiction backdrop, applying naturalistic science fiction concepts such as showcasing flawed characters in humble circumstances.

The series was broadcast on the FOX network and was canceled after only 11 episodes. However, strong sales of the DVD collection of all 14 episodes allowed Whedon to convince Universal Studios to produce a film based on the series, titled "Serenity" after the crew's spacecraft of the same name.