2 Calif. children promote indie film

BURBANK, Calif., Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Two young California girls say they were so inspired by the indie film "The First Grader" they've started a campaign to get the movie considered for an Oscar.

The movie, based on the true story of an 84-year-old Kenyan man willing to sit in an elementary classroom with 6-year-olds to exercise his right to a free education, was a hit at film festivals but failed to find an audience in its theatrical release, the Burbank (Calif.) Leader reported Saturday.

But when sisters Allie and Olivia Shea, aged 11 and 8, saw the movie, its inspirational message hit home and they asked their father to help them launch the Shea Family Foundation to promote the film.

"I must admit I was not really aware of how important the whole awards season can be," said Darin Shea, an information technology entrepreneur who moved his family from Arkansas to Burbank two years ago to support his children's acting ambitions.

"All we knew is that we wanted to help this film and this is the best way we could do that," Shea said.

The film's distributor, National Geographic Entertainment, considered the odds of any award recognition slim and refused to spend the kind of money it takes to successfully mount a promotional campaign, the Leader said.

"They felt it wouldn't be worth it," said Richard Harding, one of the film's producers. "We really thought all hope was lost until Allie and Olivia saw our film."

Harding and producing partner Sam Feuer mailed out 15,000 DVD screeners to voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences thanks to funds provided to the Shea Family Foundation, the newspaper said.

Allie and Olivia have personally introduced the film at screenings held prior to voting.

"They became so popular that we had people asking for them," Harding said. "I think it really touched people that these girls were up there telling them how they felt about this film."

"This is something we really wanted to do," Allie Shea said. "I love the fact that it tells people to never to give up on their dreams."