2008 Christopher Award Winners

First presented in 1949, the Christopher Awards were established by Christopher founder Father James Keller to salute media that “affirm the highest values of the human spirit.” Their goal is to encourage men, women and children to pursue excellence in creative arenas that have the potential to influence a mass audience positively. Award winners encourage audiences to see the better side of human nature and motivate artists and the general public to use their best instincts on behalf of others.

The Christopher's motto is "it is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness" and these awards certainly light many, many candles. You can see all the light they shed at their website.

Congratulations to the winners ... the awards will be presented to these winners on April 10.

2008 Christopher Leadership Award
Cardinal John P. Foley

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2008 Christopher Life Achievement Award
David McCullogh

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2007 Special Christopher Award

American Masters

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BOOKS FOR ADULTS

Brother, I'm Dying, by Edwidge Danticat (Alfred A. Knopf/Random House, Inc.)

The Florist's Daughter, by Patricia Hempl (Harcourt, Inc.)

The Invisible Wall: A Love Story That Broke Barriers, by Harry Bernstein (Ballatine Books/Random House, Inc.)

The Lonely Patient: How We Experience Illness, by Michael Stein, M.D. (William Morrow/HarperCollins Publishers)

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, by Ishmael Beah (Sarah Crichton Books/Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

A Slave No More: Two Men Who Escaped to Freedom, by David W. Blight (Harcourt, Inc.)

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BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Preschool
Taking a Bath with the Dog and Other Things That Make Me Happy, by Scott Menchin (Candlewick Press)

Ages 6 – 8
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?, by Margaret McNamara; Illustrated by G. Brian Karas
(Schwartz & Wade Books/Random House Children's Books)

Ages 8 – 10
Owen & Mzee: The Language of Friendship, by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff & Dr. Paula Kahumbu; Photographs by Peter Greste (Scholastic Press/Scholastic, Inc.)

Ages 10 – 12
The Wild Girls, by Pat Murphy (Viking/Penguin Young Readers Group)

Young Adult
Diamonds in the Shadow, by Caroline B. Cooney (Delacorte Press/Random House Children's Books)

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FEATURE FILMS

Amazing Grace (Samuel Goldwyn Films & Roadside Attractions)
Director: Michael Apted; Screenwriter: Steven Knight; Producers; Edward R. Pressman, Terrence Malick, Patricia Heaton, David Hunt & Ken Wales; Co-Producer: Mark Cooper; Executive Producers: Jeanney Kim, James Clayton & Duncan Reid

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Miramax Films & Pathe Renn)
Director: Julian Schnabel; Screenwriter: Ronald Harwood; Producers: Kathleen Kennedy & Jon Kilik; Executive Producers: Pierre Grunstein & Jim Lemley

The Great Debaters (The Weinstein Company & MGM)
Director: Denzel Washington; Screenwriter: Robert Eisele; Producers: Todd Black, Kate Forte, Oprah Winfrey & Joe Roth; Co-Producer: Molly Allen; Executive Producers: Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein & David Crockett

Juno (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Director: Jason Reitman; Screenwriter: Diablo Cody; Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Mason Novick & Russell Smith; Co-Producers: Jim MIller, Kelli Konop & Brad Van Arragon; Executive Producers: Joe Drake, Nathan Kahane & Daniel Dubiecki

The Kite Runner (Paramount Classics)
Director: Marc Forster; Screenwriter: David Benioff; Producers: William Horberg, Walter F. Parkes, Rebecca Yeldham & E. Bennett Walsh; Executive Producers: Sidney Kimmel, Laurie MacDonald, Sam Mendes & Jeff Skoll; Co-Executive Producer: Bruce Toll

Ratatouille (Walt Disney Pictures & Pixar Animation Studios)
Director: Brad Bird; Co-Director: Jan Pinkava; Screenwriter: Brad Bird; Producer: Brad Lewis; Executive Producers: John Lasseter & Andrew Stanton

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TELEVISION & CABLE

Flashpoint: Kimberly Dozier and the Army's 4th I.D. - A Story of Bravery,
Recovery and Loss (CBS-TV)
Producers: Judy Tygard, Paul F. Ryan, Michael McHugh, Gregory F. McLaughlin & Chris Young; Co-Producer: Joe Halderman; Executive Producer: Susan Zirinsky

In God's Name (CBS-TV)
Directors: Jules Naudet & Gedeon Naudet; Producers: Nancy Kramer, Mead Stone, Paul Barrois, Peter Schweitzer, Michael Vele & Basil Pappas; Co-Producers: Susan Mallie & Sara Prior; Executive Producers: Jules Naudet, Gedeon Naudet, Susan Zirinsky, Virginie Luc & Mark Koops

Longford (HBO)
Director: Tom Hooper; Writer: Peter Morgan; Producer: Helen Flint; Executive Producers: Peter Morgan & Andy Harries

Pictures of Hollis Woods (CBS-TV)
Director: Tony Bill; Writers: Ann Peacock, Daniel Petrie, Jr. & Camille Thomasson; Producer: Dan Paulson; Co-Producer: Cameron Johann; Executive Producer: Brent Shields

The War miniseries (PBS/WETA Washington, DC)
Directors: Ken Burns & Lynn Novick; Writer: Geoffrey C. Ward; Producers: Ken Burns, Lynn Novick & Sarah Botstein; Co-Producers: Peter Miller & David McMahon; Executive Producer: Ken Burns