Beliefnet is proud to recognize the films and filmmakers whose work is of the highest quality while also being imbued with significant spiritual and inspirational themes.
Sara Shereen Bakhshian is a regular contributor to Beliefnet, is a reporter, writer and editor with experience covering entertainment, religion, the environment, local news, politics, current affairs and other topical issues at major dailies, community newspapers and online publications. Her website is http://www.sarashereen.com.
Peter T. Chattaway is the film columnist for BC Christian News in Vancouver, BC and a film critic for ChristianityTodayMovies.com, among others. He blogs about film at filmchatblog.blogspot.com
Craig Detweiler directs the Reel Spirituality Institute at Fuller Theological Seminary. His feature documentary, "Purple State of Mind," is touring the country in 2008. Screening schedule at www.purplestateofmind.com.
Brandon Fibbs is a film critic for The Colorado Springs Gazette, Christianity Today Movies, and Cinemattraction. He has a BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado and an MA in Cinema Studies from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. His work can be read at www.brandonfibbs.com.
Jenny Halper is the film editor of Spare Change News, a Cambridge bi-monthly dedicated to empowering the homeless. Her writing has appeared in the Boston Phoenix, NewEnglandFilm.com, BostonNow, amNewYork, 24/7, Beliefnet, and Park Slope Reader, among other outlets.
Todd Havens, a writer living in Los Angeles, is the Studio Liaison for Movies.com and a frequent contributor to Beliefnet's Idol Chatter blog. He also blogs about modern spirituality at toddhavens.com.
Gareth Higgins is a writer and speaker based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is the author of "How Movies Helped Save My Soul: Finding Spiritual Fingerprints in Culturally Significant Films" and blogs at www.godisnotelsewhere.blogspot.com.
Douglas Howe is a writer/speaker and contributor to Beliefnet's Idol Chatter blog, and also the owner of The HOWe Team, which provides leadership development solutions to executives and professionals in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sharon Linnéa writes the Reel Inspirational column, in which she reviews family films for Beliefnet, where she served as the founding Inspiration Producer; she has a background in film history at NYU, and her new thriller, "Chasing Eden" is being released by St. Martin's Press in June.
Ellen Leventry is a longtime Beliefnet writer/editor and contributor to Idol Chatter.
Nell Minow is Beliefnet's "Movie Mom" and reviews movies each week on radio stations across the country.
Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP, MEd in Media Studies, is the film/TV columnist for St. Anthony Messenger and has been a member of ecumenical and Catholic juries at Berlin, Venice, and Locarno, as well as the Newport Film Festival (short films).
Kris Rasmussen is a contributor to Beliefnet's Idol Chatter blog and the author of "WonkaMania," and has been a contributing editor to the Christian music magazine CCM and a feature writer for Relevant magazine.
The Process For each category, we will be naming two winners: The Judges' Award, named by vote of our panelists, and The People's Award, named by vote of the Beliefnet community.
How the Judges' Award works: For each category, judges cast votes for first, second, and third place. To tally the votes, five points are assigned to first-place votes, three points to second-place votes, and one point for third-place votes. A single winner in each category, the nominee with the highest total points, is then named.
