Justin Bieber Backs BULLY With "Born To Be Somebody"

NEW YORK, April 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that Justin Bieber continues to lend his support to the fight against bullying with use of his song "Born To Be Somebody" in BULLY's newest TV spot.

The spot premiered on Fandango today, just days before the film is released wide with a PG-13 rating in cities all over the country, and will begin airing on TV today as well: http://bit.ly/IbqeJE

"My fans are always up for supporting a great cause. It's one of the things I'm most proud of as an entertainer," said Bieber. "I hope they see BULLY with their friends and help start the conversation so we can end bullying."

"We're honored that Justin has decided to support this film and the movement that surrounds it," said TWC President of Marketing Stephen Bruno.

Bieber joins a long list of celebrities who have graciously supported the film's mission and was one of the dozens of stars who helped #BullyMovie trend on Twitter recently raising further awareness as the film approached its release in theaters. Other celebrities have stepped out in their own ways to help get the word out including: Ellen DeGeneres featuring the families from the film on her show; Meryl Streep and attorneys David Boies and Ted Olson hosting an NYC screening; Victoria Justice, Giuliana Rancic and Joel McHale hosting the LA premiere; Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa hosting an NYC screening; Anderson Cooper hosting a town hall special on CNN to discuss bullying with Dr. Phil, Kelly Ripa and BULLY director Lee Hirsch; Tommy Hilfiger designing t-shirts; and many other supporters shooting PSAs. Companies including Bing and Twitter have partnered to help in the quest to reach as many parents, teachers and children as possible. And, in a move that inspired and rallied hundreds of thousands of supporters, Michigan high school student Katy Butler garnered more than half a million signatures on her petition to the MPAA on Change.org to lower BULLY's R rating, which subsequently happened last week.

Efforts to pass the Safe Schools Improvement Act are also in the works after TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein's recent meeting with Senator Bob Casey. This bill will amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to address and take action to prevent bullying and harassment of students.

BULLY leads all non-fiction films so far for 2012 with its strong opening weekend attendance.

ABOUT THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, which has released such popular franchises as SCREAM, SPY KIDS and SCARY MOVIE. Together TWC and Dimension Films have released a broad range of mainstream, genre and specialty films that have been commercial and critical successes.  TWC releases took home eight 2012 Academy Awards®, the most wins in the studio's history. The tally included Best Picture for Michel Hazanavicius's THE ARTIST and Best Documentary Feature for TJ Martin and Dan Lindsay's UNDEFEATED. THE ARTIST brought TWC its second consecutive Best Picture statuette following the 2011 win for Tom Hooper's THE KING'S SPEECH.

Since 2005, TWC and Dimension Films have released such films as GRINDHOUSE; I'M NOT THERE; THE GREAT DEBATERS; VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA; THE READER; THE ROAD; HALLOWEEN; THE PAT TILLMAN STORY; PIRANHA 3D; INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS; A SINGLE MAN; BLUE VALENTINE; THE COMPANY MEN; MIRAL; SCRE4M; SUBMARINE; DIRTY GIRL; APOLLO 18; OUR IDIOT BROTHER; I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT; SARAH'S KEY; and SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD IN 4D. Currently in release are MY WEEK WITH MARILYN; THE ARTIST; THE IRON LADY; CORIOLANUS; W.E.; UNDEFEATED; and BULLY. Upcoming releases include THE INTOUCHABLES. Recently wrapped was SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, and currently in production is DJANGO UNCHAINED.

TWC is also active in television production, led by former Miramax Films President of Production and current President of Television Meryl Poster, with credits including the Emmy® nominated and Peabody Award winning reality series Project Runway, spin-off series Project Accessory and Project Runway All Stars, the VH1 reality series Mob Wives, and the critically acclaimed HBO comedy/crime series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency which also received a Peabody Award. The company is currently in pre-production on the martial-arts epic Marco Polo for Starz as well as production on the second season of Mob Wives and the newest installment in the series' franchise Mob Wives Chicago. TWC additionally has 17 series in different stages of development, including The Nanny Diaries, being adapted for ABC by Amy Sherman Palladino (Gilmore Girls).

SOURCE The Weinstein Company