George, Ryan, J-Lo and Cher #KeepThePromise

The Promise, a historical drama about the Armenian Genocide has opened in the US this week and has triggered a wave of support from Hollywood stars about the importance of acknowledging senseless killings, wherever they may be happening in the world.

The movie, starring Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac and Charlotte Le Bon, is about a love triangle set in the final years of the Ottoman Empire, and tells the story of Armenia’s tortured history – over one million people savagely wiped out between 1915 and 1923.

It has started a social media movement, #KeepThePromise, which is all about promising to acknowledge and remember genocides of the past in order to prevent the same happening again. Some of the celebrities who are making that promise include  Jennifer Lopez, Elton John, Heidi Klum and Andre Agassi:

George Clooney explains “each and everyone of us must #keepthepromise to fight genocide wherever it occurs in the world” while superstar Cher, who’s late father John Paul Sarkisian was Armenian, has shown her support in a video on Twitter. She says, “Hitler said, if they don’t remember the Armenians, they won’t remember the Jews. We cannot let this happen to another group of people.’

Ryan Gosling is more specific with his promise. The actor, who has been vocal about human rights issues in the Congo since he travelled there in 2010, says he’s vowing to keep supporting those affected by war:

The proceeds of the film are going to a number of non-profit organisations as well as Elton John’s AIDS Foundation.

The Promise is due to open in cinemas across Australia in May.