Oscars 2015: ‘Crisis Hotline’ filmmakers have jokes -- and a serious message

While Reese Witherspoon was urging reporters on the red carpet to ask actresses about more than their dresses, it was impossible not to ask Dana Perry about hers after she and Ellen Goosenberg Kent took the Oscar for documentary short.

Neither filmmaker had heard host Neil Patrick Harris’ comment as they left the stage: “You have to have a lot of balls to wear that dress.” However, they both howled with laughter backstage when they were told about it.

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“That’s adorable, actually,” Perry said. “I invite anyone to feel my furry balls,” she added, caressing the fuzzy orbs that bobbed around her vintage black gown.

“I have nothing to say to add to that,” said a deadpan Goosenberg Kent.

“I went shopping in my mother-in-law’s attic,” Perry explained, noting that her in-law had passed away. “She had great style in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and this is one of her excellent signature pieces — and I love to wear it because I get to make awesome dirty jokes about it.

“And it’s warm.”

Their levity was in strong contrast to the topic of “Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1,” which is suicide.

Dana, whose son took his own life when he was 15, said her main objective with the film “was to honor the responders and staff of a veterans crisis line and the souls out there who are reaching out for help.”

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She explained: “The best prevention for suicide is awareness and discussion and not sweeping it under the carpet.... We’ve got a crisis with veterans committing suicide.”

Goosenberg Kent hopes the win will raise the visibility of their film. “We are really hoping that people will be able to see this all over the world,” she said. “We’re sure that HBO will make an effort to put this out there.”

Twitter: @TheCDZ