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.
The Panel of Judges
- Dilshad Ali is Beliefnet's Islam editor.
- Paul Asay is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, Christianity Today, and Beliefnet.
- Saul Austerlitz, a writer and film critic living in New York City, is a frequent contributor to Beliefnet. He is the author of "Money for Nothing: A History of the Music Video from the Beatles to the White Stripes."
- Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat are the directors of the multifaith website SpiritualityandPractice.com, where they have a database of more than 3,500 film reviews as well as discussion guides to movies for small groups and other special features. They are the authors of "Spiritual Literacy: Reading the Sacred in Everyday Life," now available on DVD.
- Rebecca Cusey is an L.A.-based entertainment reporter.
- 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.
- Patton Dodd is the Christianity editor at Beliefnet.
- 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.
- 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 wrote Beliefnet's Reel Inspirational column, in which she reviewed family films and also served as the founding Inspiration Producer; she has a background in film history at NYU and is the author of the thriller, "Chasing Eden.
- Ellen Leventry is a longtime Beliefnet writer/editor and contributor to Idol Chatter.
- Mark Moring is editor of Christianity Today Movies and the pop culture editor for Christianity Today Magazine.
- 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).
- Dena Ross is Beliefnet's Entertainment editor.
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.
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