Here’s the latest from the crossroads of faith, media & culture: 04/10/24

Lifting up storytellers who uplift the human spirit through film, television and books. For its milestone 75th awards presentation the Catholic nonprofit founded in 1945 by Maryknoll Father James Keller to honor the Judeo-Christian tradition of service to God and humanity – and which holds the ancient Chinese proverb “It’s better to light one candle than to curse the darkness” as its motto – is lauding 23 content creators whose work over the past lit candle candles and helped dispel darkness.

Speaking of this year’s winners The Christophers Director of Communications Tony Rossi says “We’re often told that we can better understand a person if we walk a mile in their shoes. While that may not be physically possible, our book, film, and TV winners allow us to do that through engagingly told stories that introduce us to people and places different from our own, yet relatable in a variety of ways.”

And this year’s winners are:

TV, Cable, & Streaming

ABC News: After the Blast: The Will to Survive (ABC News)
Former ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff returns to Iraq, where he suffered a traumatic brain injury in a roadside bombing 20 years ago, to share his journey toward recovery and healing and his mission to support wounded veterans.

The American Buffalo (PBS)
Ken Burns wins his 11th Christopher Award for showing mankind’s ability to both destroy the natural world and save it from extinction.

Sabbath (PBS)
Using interviews with scholars, farmers, physicians, and clergy from various religious traditions, the documentary makes that case for practicing one day of rest per week, the principles of justice that undergird it, and the potential it offers for healing a stressed-out world.

A Small Light (National Geographic)
The drama tells the story of Miep Gies who risked her own life to help shelter Anne Frank’s family from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II.

Special Abilities: Living Fully with Down Syndrome (Family Theater Productions)
The streaming series profiles two young adults living with Down syndrome experiencing challenges, dreams, and triumphs as they embrace rich, fulfilling lives.

A World Record Christmas (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
A teen with autism builds his self-esteem by pursuing a Guinness World Record of stacking 1,400 Jenga blocks while his family and friends cheer him on.

Feature Films

A Million Miles Away (Amazon MGM Studios)
The biopic follows José M. Hernández journey from growing up as a migrant farmworker to becoming a NASA astronaut.

The Hill (Briarcliff Entertainment)
Based on the true story of Rickey Hill who, despite his degenerative spinal disease and against his pastor father’s wishes, pursues his dream of becoming a professional baseball player.

The Holdovers (Focus Features)
Three lost, lonely souls—a disgruntled boarding school teacher, a neglected, troublemaking student, and a grieving cook—find guidance, healing, and strength as they spend Christmas break developing an unlikely friendship.

It Ain’t Over (Sony Classics)
The documentary celebrates New York Yankees legend Yogi Berra, a humble family man and D-Day veteran whose incredible accomplishments on the baseball diamond were often overshadowed by his genial personality and “Yogi-isms.”

With This Light (Miraflores Films)

A profile of the late Sister Maria Rosa Leggol whose efforts helped more than 87,000 Honduran children escape poverty and violence through social, educational, and entrepreneurial projects.

Books for Adults

The Black Angels (G.P. Putnam’s Sons/Penguin Random House)
Maria Smilos relates the untold story of the African American nurses from the South who moved to New York during the Great Depression to care for tuberculosis patients and help find a cure for the disease.

The Hard Parts (Scribner/Simon & Schuster)
Written with Cassidy Randall, Paralympic gold medalist Oksana Masters shares her journey from being abused at a Ukrainian orphanage, to adoption by a loving American mother, to thriving in sports despite her physical disabilities.

Hidden Potential (Viking/Penguin Random House)
Author Adam Grant explores the character skills and motivational structures that can help the underrated and overlooked achieve success.

More Than I Imagined (Convergent Books/Penguin Random House)
CNN’s John Blake meets the white mother he never knew and learns that personal relationships can often move people beyond old prejudices based on stereotypes.

Soccer Grannies (Rowman & Littlefield)
Author Jean Duffy chronicles the faith and passion of South African humanitarian Mama Beka as she overcame obstacles and biases to create women’s soccer teams for senior citizens.

What We Remember Will Be Saved (Broadleaf Books/1517 Media)
Stephanie Saldaña introduces readers to several Catholic, Muslim, and Yazidi refugees from the wars in Iraq and Syria.

Books for Young People

When I Talk to God, I Talk About You (Flamingo Books/Penguin Random House) 
by This is Us star Chrissy Metz and Bradley Collins and illustrated by Lisa Fields, the preschool and up book introduces children to prayer and lovingly depicts the parent-child bond through tender images of rabbits, otters, and other animals.

Willow and Bunny (Two Lions)
The kindergarten and up book earns author Anitra Rowe Schulte and illustrator Christopher Denise their second Christopher Awards for their tale about a sheltering willow tree, a bunny in need, and the power of love and friendship to bring healing after life’s storms.

Henri and the Magnificent Snort (Sea Lavender Publishing)
When a lovable French bulldog gets bullied in doggie daycare because of his loud snort, he learns to celebrate his uniqueness and shares a welcoming message of kindness and respect in this ages 6 and up story written by Samantha Childs and illustrated by Hannah Farr.

The Dog That Gave My Brother Words (End Game Press)
When a nonverbal child with autism receives the gift of a therapy dog, he speaks for the very first time, moving his sister and parents to tears in this ages 7 and up story written by Wendy Hinote Lanier and illustrated by Jieting Chen.

Food for Hope (Creston Books) 
Written by Jeff Gottesfeld and illustrated by Michelle Laurentia Agatha, this ages 8 and up book tells the true story of John van Hengel who, after losing everything and experiencing poverty, was inspired by his faith to create food banks for the hungry.

Hands (Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House)
Torrey Maldonado wins his second Christopher Award for this ages 10 and up tale of a 12-year-old torn between using his hands to fight his abusive stepfather or using them to nurture his artistic talents that could lead him and his family toward a brighter future.

John W. Kennedy is a writer, producer and media development consultant specializing in television and movie projects that uphold positive timeless values, including trust in God.