Lady Gaga, Catherine Hardwicke and Diane Warren have teamed up to spotlight the issue of sexual assault on college campuses by releasing a new public service announcement.
The six-time Grammy winning pop star, the “Twilight” director and Grammy-winning songwriter made the PSA to tie in with documentary, “The Hunting Ground.” The spot, directed by Hardwicke, features the film’s original song “Til It Happens To You,” which was written by Warren and Lady Gaga and performed by the pop star.
“After watching ‘The Hunting Ground,’ I was inspired by the survivors who had the courage to tell their stories,” Warren said in a statement to TheWrap. “This song, with its message of hope and empowerment, is my heartfelt tribute to them and will also resonate with anyone who has been bullied, lost a loved one or just feels alone in the world.”
Lady Gaga has previously been vocal on the issue, having penned an op-ed with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this year calling for the passage of the “Enough is Enough” bill in the state.
“We have a responsibility to the young men and women of this country to stand up against sexual violence everywhere,” the singer wrote.
“I hope that this PSA, with its raw and truthful portrayals, will send a clear message that we need to support these courageous survivors and end this epidemic plaguing our college campuses,” Hardwicke said.
Both the PSA and the song debuted at midnight Thursday, with a portion of proceeds from the sale of the song being donated to organizations helping survivors of sexual assault. The video can be seen on VEVO, while the song can be found on all digital and streaming services.
Director Kirby Dick’s “The Hunting Ground” is distributed by RADiUS, the boutique label of The Weinstein Company.
The film, produced by Amy Ziering, focuses on the David-and-Goliath battle waged by former University of North Carolina students Andrea Pino and Annie Clark to force their alma mater to address the issue of on campus rape.