Bardem pitches for Saharan refugees

Oscar winner stars in 45-second webisode

By JOHN HOPEWELL

MADRID -- Javier Bardem is cashing in on his Oscar for "No Country for Old Men" but not with the usual career moves.

He is appearing in a Spanish-language, 45-second webisode due up Wednesday on YouTube, drawing attention to 200,000 Saharan refugees who have lived in desert camps in Algeria for 33 years.

"Spot" ("Commercial" in Spanish) was shot April 19, during the fourth Sahara Intl. Film Festival, at such a camp.

In voiceover, Bardem describes the Saharan refugees' conditions.

Pic cuts to Bardem with desert wind whistling in the background, reads out a manifesto asking the Spanish government to recognize the diplomatic status of the Western Sahara's Polisario Front.

Bardem -- along with his actor brother Carlos, "Spot" producer Alvaro Longoria and its directors Fernando Colomo and Javier Corcuera -- haslaunched an online petition on todosconelsahara.com.

The filmmakers are aware that they face an uphill battle.

The Western Sahara is part of Morocco, which is offering the Western Saharans a referendum on autonomy. The Polisario Front wants a referendum about both autonomy and independence.

"The Spanish government has too many commercial interests in Morocco to really apply pressure. Sahara's just not on its agenda," said Spanish director Iciar Bollain.

And the Western Sahara phosphate deposits mean Morocco won't give it up lightly.

But Bardem and friends hope that Spanish youth, whose vote helped re-elect Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in March, will sign the petition and make Zapatero react.

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