Articles: Sir John Templeton

Spiritually Uplifting Screenplay Contest to be Held Annually
By Kevin Donovan
9/23/2006

The John Templeton Foundation Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays in the U.S. was greeted by enthusiastic first-time screenwriters last year.

Now the request that the contest should be held every year has been granted, as the Templeton Foundation – along with its partners, Movieguide® and the Christian Film & Television Commission™ – announced the contest will officially become an annual event.

“We are pleased to be able to present this US$50,000 (£26,315) prize every year now, so that Hollywood can reap the benefit of a continual stream of creative, inspiring scripts,” said Dr. Jack Templeton. Last year’s winners saw their screenplays reviewed and considered by several top Hollywood decision makers, the likes of Disney’s Dick Cook and DreamWorks’ Jeffrey Katzenberg.

Sir John Templeton has long believed that the media plays a role in how individuals form their ideas about faith and values. Similar to the famous Templeton Prize, the Foundation has initiated these prizes specifically for the entertainment industry.

“Through our involvement with the film and television industry, we hope to encourage support of and approbation for those who desire to use their talents to give us a deeper awareness of the spiritual dimension of life,” said Dr. Ted Baehr, founder of Movieguide® and the Christian Film & Television Commission™. “We want people of faith to work alongside the Hollywood studios to help them produce entertainment choices that appeal to the largest possible audience.”

Criteria for the Kairos Prize describe screenplays that are wholesome, uplifting and inspirational, and which result in a greater increase in either man’s love for or understanding of the “one true creator God.”

The value of the Kairos Prize makes it competitive with some of the biggest contests in the industry, and puts it at the top for awards in this category.

More information and submission guidelines are available at www.kairosprize.com. The deadline for early entries is 3 November; the late deadline is 15 December. Quarter-finalists will be notified by early February, 2007.

The John Templeton Foundation was established in 1987 by renowned international investor, Sir John Templeton, to encourage a fresh appreciation of the critical importance — for all peoples and cultures — of the moral and spiritual dimensions of life.

The Christian Film & Television Commission™ is a ministry dedicated to redeeming the values of the mass media according to biblical principles. MOVIEGUIDE® is the monthly publication of the Christian Film & Television Commission.