The film production company behind a host of hits including The King’s Speech and Silver Linings Playbook, run by Harvey Weinstein, has offered an internship to (very philanthropic) US college students

The Weinstein Company, the film production outfit run by legendary Hollywood figure Harvey Weinstein, has auctioned off an internship for charity – for over $26,000.

The position was open to US college students, lasts three months, and will help the winner “learn all the ins and outs of the movie business.” The money raised will go towards supporting the American Repertory Theater in Boston.

A spokesperson for CharityBuzz, who ran the auction, said that seven bidders made 13 bids, with the sum reaching $26,000 ten minutes before the end – but wouldn’t announce the final amount. The Weinstein Company didn’t add any comment, after being approached by the Guardian.

CharityBuzz, founded in 2005, has frequently auctioned off internships to raise money – perhaps rather controversially given the easy accusations of nepotism and abused privilege. A six-week stint at the UN went for tens of thousands of dollars earlier this year, while a recent week at InStyle UK and a London PR firm was valued at $2000 ahead of bidding. “[Parents] do it as a way of supporting charities they believe in and giving their kids exposure to industries they’re interested in,” explained Charitybuzz CEO to the New York Times in 2008, in an article that gave examples of thousands of dollars securing a place at various lifestyle magazines.

The highest price ever paid for an internship on the site is $85,000, which bought you six weeks with Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons, and six weeks with Richard Branson.