Proof

Proof Film Festival Celebrates Innovation as ‘Take Me Home’ Wins Top Prize Amidst a Showcase of Promising Filmmaker Talent

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Culver City, Calif. – The Proof Film Festival, hosted by American Cinematheque, celebrated its second annual event by unveiling the winners of its Filmmaker Awards in an evening filled with anticipation and cinematic flair. The festival showcased 46 short films, each serving as a creative proposal for potential expansion into feature-length films or television series. Liz Sargent clinched the Grand Jury Award with her poignant short “Take Me Home,” a narrative exploring the tumultuous reunion of two sisters in the wake of their mother’s death. Sargent’s portrayal of their struggle, especially considering one sister’s cognitive … Read more

New Study Reveals Impact of Conspiracy Beliefs on Jury Decisions: Navigating Trials in the Era of Social Proof

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Recent research highlights a concerning trend: In legal settings, individuals who harbor conspiracy beliefs can significantly impact jury decisions, a complexity increasingly vital in our era of social media and pervasive misinformation. This revelation, stemming from a working paper by Ognyanova and colleagues in 2024, examines public reactions to a recent assassination attempt on a Republican Presidential candidate in Butler, Pennsylvania. The working paper reveals varied conspiracy beliefs, with 12% of respondents deeming it a likely Democratic scheme and 11% suspecting a stage-managed act by the campaign itself, although neither theory is substantiated by evidence. … Read more

Federal Judge Upholds Arizona Law Requiring Voter Proof of U.S. Citizenship, Dismissing Discrimination Claims

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Phoenix, Arizona – A federal judge has ruled that a new voting law in Arizona, which requires voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship, is not discriminatory. U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton concluded that the state legislators did not discriminate when they adopted the voting laws and that the state has a legitimate interest in preventing voter fraud, according to The Associated Press. In her ruling, Judge Bolton stated that the court found Arizona’s interests in preventing non-citizens from voting and promoting public confidence in elections outweighed any burden that voters may face when providing … Read more