The Los Angeles Press Club is thrilled to announce the winner of its 6th annual Veritas Award for Best Film Based on or Inspired by Real Events and People. This award is judged by the 1,000-member strong LAPC — based equally upon fidelity of subject matter and artistic excellence.
The clear winner is “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. The outstanding ensemble cast is led by Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Frank Langella and Michael Keaton. The powerful drama is produced by Marc Platt, Stuart Besser, Matt Jackson and Tyler Thompson and distributed by Netflix.
“On behalf of the producers, cast and crew of ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7,’ as well as Dreamworks, Cross Creek and Netflix, we’re honored to receive the LA Press Club’s Veritas Award. The Chicago 7 showed enormous courage in their efforts to hasten the end of the Vietnam War. We’re proud to have told their story and to accept this award on their behalf as well,” Sorkin said.
The film is set during the 1968 Democratic Party Convention in Chicago and its aftermath. The protests from activists led to violent confrontations with the local authorities. As a result, seven of the accused ringleaders were arraigned on conspiracy charges to overthrow the U.S. government. Along the way, each of the prosecuted activists came to respect one another in their common cause.
“The Trial of the Chicago 7” follows what was intended to be a peaceful protest at the 1968 Democratic Party Convention that turned into a violent clash with police and the National Guard. The organizers of the protest — including Abbie Hoffman, Bobby Seale, Tom Hayden and Jerry Rubin — were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot, and the trial that followed was one of the most notorious in history.
“‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ provided historical context to many of the issues that our members have been covering in the past year, from political divisions to mass public protests, racial injustice and violence by police,” said LA Press Club President Lisa Richwine.
Past winners include “Spotlight,” “Hidden Figures,” “The Post,” “Green Book” and “Bombshell.”
The Veritas Award Ceremony is planned for later this month. Further details will be available at LAPressClub.org.
The Los Angeles Press Club stands as an organization devoted to improving the spirit of journalism and journalists, raising the industry’s standards, strengthening its integrity and improving its reputation all for the benefit of the community at large. Serving the Southland since 1913, it is the only Southern California journalism group that speaks for all journalists working for daily and weekly newspapers, radio & TV, magazines, documentary films and online.
Contact: Los Angeles Press Club Executive Director Diana Ljungaeus
Diana@LApressclub.org | (310) 210-1860
