The Political Film Society Awards are handed out each year by the Political Film Society

Political Film Society

The Political Film Society is a nonprofit corporation that exists to recognize Hollywood films' ability to raise awareness in political matters in the world. Film makers are the ones who are awarded by this organization...

. Each year, films that best promote political consciousness are selected in four categories; democracy

Democracy

Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...

, exposé

Investigative journalism

Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...

, human rights

Human rights

Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...

, and peace

Peace

Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...

. In addition, the Society can give special awards. From 1987 to 1997, the film that best raised political consciousness in the Hawaii International Film Festival

Hawaii International Film Festival

The Hawaii International Film Festival is a film festival held in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It was started in 1981 by Jeannette Paulson Hereniko and has been held annually in the fall for two weeks...

 received an award from the Society. While the Society was headquartered in Honolulu, a special award was given to the film that best promoted political consciousness about Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

. These awards are nicknamed the Stanley Awards after Stanley M. Castillo, an original member of the Political Film Society's board of directors

Board of directors

A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...

, who died of cancer

Cancer

Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...

 in 1998.

Below is a list of awards given out by the Political Film Society and links to the nominees and winners.

• Democracy
  Political Film Society Award for Democracy
  The Political Film Society Award for democracy is given out each year to a film that promotes, educates, and raises the awareness level of the public in the specific areas of democracy and freedom. This award has been handed out by the Society since 1988...
  
  : 1988 to present
• Exposé
  Political Film Society Award for Exposé
  The Political Film Society Award for exposé is given out each year to a film that has an investigative depth into a subject matter and often exposes surprising information on the subject. This award has been handed out by the Society since 1988...
  
  : 1988 to present
• Human Rights
  Political Film Society Award for Human Rights
  The Political Film Society Award for human rights is given out each year to a film that deals with struggle for human rights in both fictional and non-fictional stories. This award has been handed out by the Society since 1987...
  
  : 1987 to present
• Peace
  Political Film Society Award for Peace
  The Political Film Society Award for peace is given out each year to a film that deals with the struggle for peace in both fictional and non-fictional stories. This award has been handed out by the Society since 1987...
  
  : 1987 to present
• Special Award: 1988 to present