2009-02-20 13:37:47

OSCAR ALTERNATIVES: The Beliefnet Film Awards

Filed under: Faith,Film,Justice
Posted by: Craig

While this weekend’s Academy Awards will hopefully get a few things right (Best Cinematography to The Dark Knight, Best Supporting Actress for Viola Davis in Doubt), there are invariably disappointments and oversights. Some of the finest films like Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino are ignored by the Academy. At next weekend’s City of the Angels Film Festival, we’re presenting nine overlooked cinematic gems from 2008. These challenging and beautiful independent films are nearly unseen. Yet, small pictures are often full of big ideas. In a world of bigger, louder, faster box office competition, these are the slow and the spiritual.

I also had the privilege of serving as a juror for the Beliefnet Film Awards. Beliefnet’s transcendent focus offers an alternative to the Oscars. We voted on three categories, Best Spiritual Film, Best Spiritual Performance, and Best Spiritual Documentary. I am delighted with all the winners. WALL-E won the judges prize for Best Spiritual Film, while Gran Torino took the audience award. Both films will endure.

The judges chose Richard Jenkins’ awakening in The Visitor for Best Spiritual Performance. I had the honor of reviewing it for Beliefnet back in April 2008. I’ve been banging the drum for this insightful little film ever since. The People’s Choice for Best Performance went to Queen Latifah’s empathetic turn as the oldest, wisest sister in The Secret Life of Bees.

Finally, the judges and Beliefnet users agreed on the Best Spiritual Documentary, Lord Save Us From Your Followers. I am thrilled to see Dan Merchant’s smart, subversive apology for our unChristian behavior gain some recognition. It is an interesting companion piece to Purple State of Mind. Both films are a mix of comedy and seriousness. While John and I focused on our singular relationship, Lord Save Us takes the broader view, wrestling with all the embarrassing things that have been said and done in the name of God recently. Dan Merchant borrows a page from Don Miller’s Blue Like Jazz and provides a confessional, a place for Christians to confess how judgmental, ugly and angry we’ve been toward homosexuals and others. It is a healing balm in a divisive era. Check out the Beliefnet Award winning Lord Save Us From Your Followers!

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