Following the September 11 attacks in 2001 , Jaka Bizilj launched the Cinema for Peace initiative with the annual gala as a platform for communicating humanitarian , political and social issues through the medium of film . Bob Geldof described the awards gala as " the Oscars with brains " . Since 2008 , various projects initiated by the worldwide Cinema for Peace initiative are carried out by the charitable Cinema for Peace Foundation , based in Berlin , chaired unsalaried by Jaka Bizilj
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Cinema for Peace