Columbus Citizens Foundation Says: Spielberg's DreamWorks Animates Prejudice in Kids Movie.

NEW YORK -- --Shark Tale Uses Defamatory Ethnic Stereotyping to Characterize Villains in Violent Tale for Children

--Columbus Citizens Foundation President Lawrence Auriana Brands Spielberg Hypocrite for Violating Filmmaker's Professed Moral Code

Lawrence Auriana, President of the Columbus Citizens Foundation, today condemned DreamWorks SKG and DreamWorks Animation newest film, Shark Tale for its unprecedented use of ethnic stereotypes to characterize villains in a recent children's movie. The movie received its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2004.

In Shark Tale, bad guys are identified by Italian and Italian-American names, such as Lino and Luca, and by their use of Italian-American phrases of speech and slang, such as "capeesh" and "agita". The movie introduces a new generation of children to the idea that people with Italian names - like millions of Americans across the country - are gangsters. Shark Tale creates an association between villains and Italian-Americans that will become imprinted in the developing minds of children.

"It is startling that this entertainment should come from DreamWorks, one of whose principals, Steven Spielberg, has been an outspoken opponent of stereotyping and discrimination," said Auriana.

In a New York Times article published on March 9, 2004, Speilberg was quoted, "We are in a race against time for the conscious mind of young people" and need to teach them "the dangers of stereotyping, the dangers of discrimination, the dangers of racial and religious hatred and vengeful rage."

"Despite his enlightened statements about stereotyping, Spielberg has allowed DreamWorks to create the first children's film in the last 25 years, if not longer, that promotes bias," said Auriana. "In interviews and speeches, Spielberg has talked about the pain he has felt from prejudice. In part because of DreamWorks's portrayal, another generation of Italian-Americans will feel a similar pain. Spielberg's concerns about stereotyping are noble, but his actions contradict his words. By supporting this movie, Spielberg is being hypocritical."

"DreamWorks is looking to make a profit off the mafia genre," said Auriana, "and Shark Tale is a parody of mafia films that are created for adult audiences. DreamWorks reinforces the connection to the mafia by using the voices of actors who have repeatedly portrayed mob characters, including Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese and cast members from the Sopranos. But gang life and the mafia are not suitable in movies for children, however much DreamWorks may want to appeal to parents in an effort to increase the film's revenues.

Despite his enlightened statements about stereotyping, Mr. Spielberg has allowed DreamWorks to create the first children's firm in many years that promotes bias. In interviews and speeches, Mr. Spielberg has talked about the pain he suffered as a child because of prejudice. In part because of DreamWorks' portrayal of gangsters in Shark Tale, in both the movie and the related books now available across the country, thousands of Italian-American boys and girls will feel a similar pain. They will be asked if their families are in the mafia. They will be looked at differently from their peers. They will be isolated. They will be stereotyped. Doesn't Mr. Spielberg feel their pain?

The Columbus Citizens Foundation is a member of the National Coalition Against Racial, Religious and Ethnic Stereotyping (CARRES), which since January 2004 has asked DreamWorks SKG to remove Italian-American names, mannerisms and speech from the film.

"Negative stereotyping along lines of race, religion and ethnicity is unacceptable in America today, as are bias, prejudice and discrimination," he added. Auriana called on DreamWorks to strip its characters of offensive ethnic stereotyping by removing allusions to Italian-Americans before the movie receives its American release on October 1st.

The Columbus Citizens Foundation celebrates Italian-American heritage. The Foundation supports cultural and educational programs, including grants and scholarships for elementary school, high school and college students. In 2003, the Foundation awarded over $2 million in scholarships and donated $1 million to help complete construction of the New Millennium High School, near the site of Ground Zero in lower Manhattan. It also donated $300,000 to the Fallen Heroes Fund, which benefits the families of servicemen slain in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Columbus Citizens Foundation also produces New York City's Columbus Day Parade, which was first held in 1929. In 2002, the Foundation declined to allow cast members of The Sopranos participate in the parade.