Neil Gaiman and Guillermo del Toro share their six must-see films of hope

This holiday season, UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Goodwill Ambassador and author Neil Gaiman and filmmaker Guillermo del Toro teamed up to share a list of their top six favorite films of hope to raise awareness and support for the most vulnerable communities affected by COVID-19, including refugees and the forcibly displaced.

Their selection is part of an original video series by UNHCR and the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). It follows other watchlists from Goodwill Ambassadors Cate Blanchett and Kristin Davis, and actors Cynthia Nixon and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

Funds raised through the ‘Films of Hope’ series will go to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, led by the World Health Organization in its global efforts to prevent, detect and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

 Commenting on a video published on IMDb’s website, Gaiman said that he wanted to share his ‘Films of Hope’ to help refugees and other vulnerable communities during the pandemic. 

“People fleeing war, those having to leave their homes and cities are even more vulnerable than they have ever been before. The refugees I have met are people who inspire hope and as we face a pandemic together, it’s so good to talk about themes of hope, inspiration and solidarity.”

Here’s the list of movies included on Neil Gaiman and Guillermo del Toro’s IMDb Watchlist:

1. The Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont: Hope, to be real, needs to come from a place facing adversity and we are talking about systemic adversity, which is prison. There is a great moment in which he plays a portion of an opera (to the inmates) and the whole camera sweeps and swoons above the prison walls.” Guillermo del Toro

2. Tampopo, directed by Juzo Itami: “It’s about making noodles, about how we as human beings relate to food and bond over food, and how the action of eating together makes us more than individuals on a desert island.” Neil Gaiman

3. It’s a Wonderful Life, directed by Frank Capra: : “In order to get to a place of hope, he drags you into an absolute nightmare world.” Guillermo del Toro

4. Brazil, directed by Terry Gilliam: “It’s about holding on to your dreams and not letting the forces that would break you.” Neil Gaiman

5. The Wizard of Oz, directed by Victor Fleming: “It’s about a road and people with completely different goals going to a place of hope and then the hope says to them, I’m counterfeit.” Guillermo del Toro

6. Beauty and the Beast, directed by Jean Cocteau: “Its shows that people working together can take incredibly limited resources and use them to create something bigger than themselves, something huge and something that lasts.” Neil Gaiman

The entire series are available on the IMDb page and movie lovers can also share their own ‘Films of Hope’ by using the hashtag #FilmsofHope and tagging @IMDb or @Refugees.  

How you can help…

Click here to donate to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.