"I don't know of any precedent for what Participant (Media) does," says film historian Leonard Maltin about Jeff Skoll's movie company. "Refreshing is too mundane a word for the willingness to put serious money into films as diverse as The Visitor, Fast Food Nation and The Help."
Participant's range of material may be as central to its identity as its social consciousness. A film fan could spend weeks screening its output, perhaps starting with titles like these:
An Inconvenient Truth (2006). The documentary—an expansion of Al Gore's lecture about global warming—won an Oscar and could not have made a bigger splash. As special as the film is to Skoll, he recognizes the challenge in making a lasting social impact: After the movie came out, the percentage of Americans who considered climate change an important issue roughly doubled, climbing "to 87 percent." The number now has declined dramatically, he adds, "so the battle has not been won, that's for sure."
Charlie Wilson's War (2007). Unlikely entertainment spun from the CIA's efforts to undermine the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman with an award-winning screenplay by Aaron Sorkin.
The Visitor (2007). This quiet drama grapples with American perceptions about illegal immigration. Richard Jenkins, nominated for best actor, portrayed a professor who befriends an undocumented couple in New York.
Good Night, and Good Luck (2005). Biopic of TV newsman Edward R. Murrow's clash with Sen. Joe McCarthy in the 1950s. Six Academy Award nominations including ones for best picture, best actor (David Strathairn as Murrow), best director (George Clooney) and best original screenplay.
The World According to Sesame Street (2006). Feature-length documentary showcases the Bangladesh, Kosovo and South Africa versions of the iconic children's TV show.
North Country (2005). Charlize Theron portrays a miner at the heart of a landmark sexual-harassment case. The drama bolstered efforts in Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
Coming attraction: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (May). Drama-comedy about British pensioners who "outsource" their retirement to more affordable India. Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson and Dev Patel star.
