Awards honor spiritual works

A crime-solver, the Founding Fathers, an art-loving nun and Barbra Streisand make for quite an eclectic gathering, but they have one thing in common: All are receiving 1998 Christopher Awards in recognition of their positive work.

Annually, the Christophers present prizes to writers, producers and directors for turning out "creative works that express the highest values of the human spirit." Led by Father Thomas McSweeney, the organization also produces its own TV show ("Christopher Closeup"), prints flyers on timely topics of interest to believers and sponsors contests for youths (more about that at the end).

This year, in naming the best among TV shows and movies, the group chose stories about slavery, AIDS and the Holocaust. As usual, their winners make an excellent checklist on how we are doing as consumers in selecting uplifting entertainment:

* "Amistad," the Steven Spielberg movie about a slave ship that is taken over by its "cargo";

* "Paradise Road," a film (now out on videotape) about a group of women imprisoned by the Japanese during World War II who use music to maintain their sanity and hopes;

* "Bill Moyers in Conversation with Sister Wendy," a PBS special following up the English nun's own mini-series on art appreciation;

* "A Child's Wish," a CBS made-for-TV movie about a girl with cancer whose father loses his job when he takes time to care for her;

* "Clover," a USA Network movie about a black man with a child who marries a white woman and then dies, leaving the little girl to deal with issues of grief and racism;

* "In the Gloaming," an HBO film directed by actor Christopher Reeve about parents coping with their son's AIDS;

* "Liberty: The American Revolution," a PBS series that mingled paintings, contemporary scenes and readings by actors to explain what happened during the War for Independence;

* "Rescuers: Stories of Courage," a Showtime special produced by Barbra Streisand about two Gentiles who saved Jews during the Holocaust; and

* "William Faulkner's Old Man," a CBS TV-movie about a convict released from prison in order to help rescue flood victims on the Mississippi (the river is the old man) and his redemption by a pregnant woman.

"Turning grief into positive action," the Christophers said of Walsh, "this determined man continues to help thousands of children and crime victims."

(If you're a college student, you can win a Christopher Award of another sort: cash. The group's annual video contest invites students to produce a short videotape on the theme of "One person can make a difference." The first prize is $3,000. For additional information and an entry form, write The Christophers, 12 East 48th St., New York, NY 10017. Entries are due in June. Information about the contest and other Christopher efforts can be found at their web site: www.christophers.org.)

(02-26-98) [[In-content Ad]]