Roma Downey, Candace Cameron Bure and Joel Smallbone were among the Christian entertainers honored at this year’s Moveguide Awards, an annual event that recognizes films and television shows that uplift and inspire audiences.
The 32nd Annual Movieguide Faith & Values Awards Gala, which aired on Great American Family and is now available for streaming on Pure Flix, brought together Hollywood stars and industry leaders for an evening of celebration in Los Angeles, California.
Among the night’s big winners, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” took home Best Family Film, while “Young Woman and the Sea” won Best Mature Audience Film. “A Little Women’s Christmas” was honored as Best Family Television Show, and “The Baxters” received Best Mature Audience Television recognition for its first eight episodes.
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Faith-driven storytelling was highlighted through the Epiphany Prize, with “Cabrini” winning for film and “A Christmas Less Traveled” for television. The Faith & Freedom Awards went to “Reagan” in the movie category and “NCIS” (Episode 22:4, “Sticks & Stones”) for television.
Winners of the “Grace Award,” given to those who exemplify “God’s grace and mercy toward us as human beings through their outstanding performance,” included Bure for her role in “A Christmas Less Traveled” and Jesse Hutch for his work in “Christmas Under the Northern Lights.”
“I think about what grace means, and God says that ‘My grace is sufficient for you,'” the former “Full House” star said while accepting her award. “Grace is something that I get that I don’t deserve. It’s a forgiveness of sins; it’s to stand holy and righteous before God. Just thank you for these opportunities to continue to do the craft that I love and get to portray a woman of grace on screen and just share that message of God’s grace and God’s love.”
Hutch spoke about using his platform to uplift faith in his acceptance speech.
“I recognize, through God’s grace, that no matter what’s in your bank account or what side you lean politically, or what your family history is, or what you’ve done in the past or what you think you’re going to do in the future … one thing that brings us together is the heart that God put in us,” Hutch said.
The evening also celebrated individual performances, with Beatrice Schneider (“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”) and Joel Smallbone (“Unsung Hero“) earning Grace Awards for their work in film.
Meanwhile, Roma Downey received the prestigious Visionary Award for her contributions to faith-centered storytelling, including “Touched by an Angel,” “The Bible” and “The Baxters.”
“To be able to combine what I love to do, which is to tell stories, and to be able to speak about my love for God, for goodness, to remind people of kindness and that God is good has just been a tremendous privilege,” Downey said.
Hollywood icons Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise took the stage to present the Best Mature Audience Film award, which director Joachim Rønning and Walt Disney Studios executive Sam Dickerson accepted.
Former supermodel and human rights advocate Kathy Ireland, alongside Hutch, presented the Faith & Freedom Award for Movies, while Don McLean and former NBA star Metta Sandiford-Artest announced the Best Documentary Award, which went to “Americans with No Address.”
Hosted by Mario Lopez, the event opened with a tribute to the recent Los Angeles wildfires victims and the first responders who assisted in the disaster. “Tonight’s for you,” Lopez said, honoring the resilience of the affected communities and the power of storytelling to bring hope.
Music was a highlight of the night, with breakout R&B artist Sheléa delivering a performance of “Something’s Coming” in tribute to first responders. Moriah Peters, wife of Joel Smallbone, also performed her hit song “Hasta Mañana.”
The evening concluded with a prayer led by Bure, who asked God that those in the entertainment industry would continue to honor Him with their talents despite the pressures of Hollywood.
“My prayer for today is that all the people in this room would be bold for you … in their scripts, their writing, their producing and their directing,” Bure prayed, asking God that the “fear of man would not be bigger than the fear and awe in reverence of you, Lord.”
“May every person in this room know who you are,” Bure prayed. “I pray that you would pursue every heart in this room and every heart that is watching this right now. Pursue relentlessly so that they may know your mercy and love and grace.”
“While we’re being honored and giving honor to so many, there’s no one that deserves higher honor than you,” she said, “because you gave your one and only Son for all of us to die on the cross, to pay the penalty for our sin, so that we can be reconciled to you and justified before you on judgement day.”
