Hollywood Gives the Gift of Film

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association gave $759,865 in financial grants to film schools and nonprofits in 2008 despite losing roughly $6 million in Golden Globe telecast revenue when the NBC broadcast was cancelled due to the writers' strike. HFPA president Jorge Camara said the group “dipped from its savings” to honor its commitment, noting that over the preceding several years the HFPA Foundation had donated more than $7.5 million to dozens of organizations.

Recipients included Film Independent, Sundance Institute, Inner-City Arts, FilmAid International, the Ghetto Film School, and CalArts' School of Film/Video, among others. “These scholarships are lifesavers -- literally,” said CalArts dean Steve Anker. “They have made it possible for students from around the world to come to CalArts. I only wish more corporations and foundations followed their lead.”

Daily Variety named HFPA its Benefactor of the Year, with associate publisher Brian Gott presenting a $20,000 check to supplement the group's endowment fund.