The rumors about awards shows are all true – the roar of the crowd, the blinding camera flashes, the glitzy celebs, the huddled masses of photographers and reporters – it’s all part of the celebrity media machine. I discovered this firsthand at my first movie awards red carpet, the Faith & Values Awards Gala, presented by Movieguide at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons (the former Regent Beverly Wilshire, made famous as “Reg.Bev.Wil.” by “Pretty Woman.”) At this red carpet, there was less “who are you wearing?” and more “what role does faith play in your life?” as TV and film actors gathered with a higher purpose: to recognize the best family-friendly movies and TV shows of the previous year. “The Blind Side,” starring Sandra Bullock and relative newcomer Quinton Aaron, was the big winner of the $100,000 Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring Movie of 2009, and also took the prize – The Crystal Teddy Bear, named after awards founder Ted Baehr – for best movie for mature audiences. The Faith & Freedom Film Award went to “Invictus” and “The Stoning of Soroya M.” Presenters included Melora Hardin (“The Office,” “Hannah Montana: The Movie”), and Stephen Baldwin. The red carpet event positioned me next to a reporter representing three online sites on one side, and on the other, next to the editor of ChristianCinema.com. (Their report is already up online – special thanks to Angela at ChristianCinema for allowing me to share celebrity interview time on several occasions.)Check out my video compilation of clips from the red carpet, featuring talk with Melora Hardin about women and comedy, as well as her new album; and schmooze with Sharif Atkins about his film, “Preacher’s Kid,” while walking the red carpet with his actual kid.

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