HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — The faith-based film “Sarah’s Oil “and the biblical drama “House of David” emerged as the night’s biggest winners at the 33rd Annual Movieguide Faith & Values Awards, each taking home multiple honors during a ceremony celebrating uplifting storytelling across film and television.

The black-tie gala, hosted by Cameron Mathison, aired on Great American Family and GFAM+, with the program now streaming on Great American Pure Flix. The event highlighted films, television programs and creators whose work reflects faith, redemption and family-centered values.

Among the evening’s top honorees, “Sarah’s Oil,” which tells the true story of Sarah Rector, who became a millionaire at age 11, was named Best Movie for Mature Audiences, while its star Naya Desir-Johnson received the Grace Award for Movie Actress. 

“To my mom, who supported me every step of the way,” the Haitian-American performer and actress said upon accepting the award. “To my dad, my family, friends and team for getting me through this journey. This is for Sarah Rector and her story.”

 

courtesy of Movieguide

Meanwhile, “House of David” won the Faith & Freedom Award for Television, and actor Michael Iskander earned the Grace Award for Television Actor for his performance in the episode “The Truth Revealed.”

“It’s a huge honor,” Iskander told The Christian Post ahead of accepting his “Teddy” award. “Season two especially has been a really awesome season, both for the people who are watching it, but for me as an actor, because it's really transformative. We see David just go from being a shepherd to a man like a warrior. People have been resonating with, seeing the change in David and and of change in themselves. It’s had a huge impact on those who watch it.”

The evening opened with remarks from Movieguide CEO Robby Baehr, who presented research showing audiences increasingly gravitate toward family-friendly and faith-affirming entertainment.

Drawing from Movieguide’s annual report, Baehr said the data challenges the industry’s long-held assumption that mature or explicit content performs best at the box office.

“In the top 25 films of 2025, 84% had strong or very strong redemptive, biblical or moral content,” Baehr said. “If you want to be in the top 25, you need to make this kind of content.”

The data also showed that eight of the top 10 most-watched films on streaming platforms were family-friendly, he said, and 90% of the top global box-office films carried strong redemptive themes.

“Every time they tell you that you need mature content to succeed in streaming, the numbers say otherwise,” Baehr said. “Eighty percent of that content is family friendly.”

He added that films with explicit sexual content often perform worse financially.

“Sex doesn’t sell,” Baehr said. “If you put even a slight bit of nudity in your film, the numbers drop dramatically.”

The reason, he contended, is simple: faith audiences remain one of the largest moviegoing demographics.

“Christians buy twice as many tickets as non-Christians,” he said, noting that roughly 180 million Americans attend church weekly, representing a significant and often overlooked audience for filmmakers.

The award for Best Movie for Families went to “The Last Rodeo.” Actor Neal McDonough, who both starred in and produced the film, delivered one of the evening’s most emotional moments when he dedicated the award to his wife.

“This was all about one person,” McDonough said. “I wrote it about her. She’s my inspiration in life, my best friend, my manager and my partner in everything. This trophy doesn’t belong to me — it belongs to the woman that I’m about to kiss in front of everybody.”

His wife, Ruve McDonough, echoed the sentiment, reflecting on their decades-long journey.

“Neal had a dream to write films and create films,” she said. “I give glory to God. It’s been a long journey, 26 years, and seeing my husband’s dream come true means everything.”

In the television categories, “Timeless Tidings of Joy” won Best Television Program for Families, and the biblical drama “Ruth & Boaz,” produced by Tyler Perry and DeVon Franklin, was named Best Television Program for Mature Audiences.

Accepting the award, Franklin urged filmmakers to continue creating content rooted in hope and faith.

“We’re in a time when people are looking for hope, looking for love and looking for guidance,” Franklin said. “Everyone in this room has the ability to change the trajectory of this generation with the content that you’re making. Your stories matter.”

Franklin also emphasized the importance of representation within faith-based storytelling.

“I wanted to make a love story because there had never been a modern version of a biblical love story,” he said. “And I wanted to do it with people of color because faith is for everybody.”

The animated feature “Light of the World” received the award for Best Movie for Children, while “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw” won Best Television/Streaming Program for Children.

Movieguide Founder Dr. Ted Baehr received the Visionary Award for Furthering Entertainment with Faith & Values. The Faith & Freedom Award for Movies went to “BAU: Artist at War,” while the Aletheia Documentary Award, which recognizes excellence in documentary storytelling, was presented to “Investigating the Supernatural: Miracles,” hosted by journalist Billy Hallowell. 

“I'm excited to be here and talking about miracles, which I love, and God is still moving, and so it's just amazing to be here,” Hallowell told CP ahead of the show.

The hit series “The Chosen” was also honored during the ceremony, as the theatrical installment “The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 2” received the Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring Movie.

Cast members, including Paras Patel, Tyler Thompson, Chris Juen, Amber Shana Williams, Vanessa Benavente, Austin Reed Alleman and Chad Gundersen reunited on stage to accept the award.

“We put all of our heart and passion into making The Chosen, and I think you all see that,” Patel said. “We are so grateful to be standing here recognized tonight.”

The actor noted the show is approaching the end of its planned seven-season run.

“We’re about to start our last season,” he said. “It’s bittersweet. It’s the end of a chapter — probably the beginning of a new one.”

The ceremony featured musical performances from singer and former Olympian Paul Greene, who performed his single “The Stone,” and Grammy-nominated artist Jordin Sparks, who delivered a rendition of the Diane Warren classic “How Do I Live.”

Actress Candace Cameron Bure appeared alongside her daughter Natasha Bure to present the award for Best Family Movie. Later in the evening, Natasha Bure won the Grace Award for Television Actress for her role in “Timeless Tidings of Joy.”

“This was just a joy,” Bure said of working with her daughter on the project. “I love a time-travel movie, and getting to do it together made it really special.”

Notable attendees included Craig T. Nelson, Danica McKellar, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Peta Murgatroyd and Tony Orlando.

“I think that everyone's realizing that there's dollars behind [uplifting entertainment],” Bure told CP, reflecting on the growth of faith-based films and TV shows in recent years. “That's kind of what it always takes, because the dollars speak to the executives and the streamers and the networks.

 I'm so happy that these bigger companies are listening to what people really want, and there's room for everyone. There's room for every type of programming, too. But the fact that they're putting more money into faith-based programming is incredible, because people want it and people watch it, it means something to them.”