CT Movies Critic Lauded
Jeffrey Overstreet wins 2007 Spiritus Award at City of the Angels Film Festival; fest celebrates potential of filmmaking for social change.
from reports | posted 10/29/2007
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Christianity Today Movies film critic Jeffrey Overstreet received the 2007 Spiritus Award as the City of the Angels Film Festival began Friday in Hollywood.
Overstreet was lauded for his pioneering work with Christianity Today and CT Movies; for his insightful website, Looking Closer; for his seminal role in founding the Faith and Film Critics Circle; and for his first book on theology and film, Through a Screen Darkly (Regal, 2007).
Overstreet (right) receives the Spiritus Award from Michael Gose
Dr. Michael Gose of Pepperdine University represented a steering committee from Fuller Theological Seminary and Azusa Pacific University in presenting the Spiritus Award to Overstreet. Gose noted how Overstreet "has deepened our appreciation of cinematic art within the Christian community. He challenges people of faith to embrace more rigorous directors like Wim Wenders, Krzysztof Kieslowski and Terrence Malick. He has also rallied a new generation of film critics, offering solidarity and community in what can be a lonely profession."
Craig Detweiler, director of Fuller Seminary's Reel Spirituality Institute, added, "Jeffrey has been criticized from all sides of the religious and political divide. Too conservative for some, too permissive to others, Overstreet has mined the messy middle where challenging, enduring art is forged."
Mark Moring, editor of Christianity Today Movies, said, "I've never met a better ambassador for movies and film criticism than Jeffrey Overstreet. He's not an ornery cynic/critic who merely watches films and then retreats into a dark hole to opine away at the computer screen. He gets out there among the people. He has a passion for educating folks about how to watch movies, how to get the most out of them, how to dig beneath the surface and to find the real substance of what a movie is all about."
In a humorous and moving acceptance speech, Overstreet said, "Critics are used to being attacked, rather than awarded. Therefore, I am quite grateful for this surprising recognition." He included quotations from writers who inspired him, like J. R. R. Tolkien, Frederick Buechner, and the recently deceased Madeline L'Engle, and he spoke of "The joy we all receive from discovering neglected or overlooked art."
After the ceremony, Overstreet served as a CAFF panelist for post-screening discussions of Unforgiven, Invisibles, and a special session entitled, "Where's the Love? The Film Critic vs. the Religious Audience."
The Spiritus Award honors critical writing that calls attention to films which enrich the human person and celebrate the transcendent aspects of life. Created by a coalition of professors from Fuller Theological Seminary, Pepperdine University, and Azusa Pacific University, the Spiritus Awards have recognized outstanding writing in the field of theology and film since 2002.
Filmmaking for Social Change
The City of the Angels Film Festival's 2007 theme, "Justice … for All?", celebrated the potential of filmmaking for social change. Through four premieres, award-winning docs, shorts and classic films like Norma Rae and Unforgiven, CAFF challenged, troubled, and inspired more than one thousand filmgoers to consider "the least of these." Each screening was followed by a panel discussion featuring filmmakers and representatives from local and international peace and justice organizations.
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