religious journalism, officials confirmed Thursday, July 6.
Open Doors got the Andrew Cross Award for producing the film ‘The Eastern Bride’ which explores the social, political and religious circumstances in which persecution of Christians take place in the Middle East and China.
"This film is truly in a class of its own," the judging panel said, according to a statement released by Open Doors UK & Ireland. The Eastern Bride follows two Western young people, an IT executive and a TV reporter, who after their meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, respectively work on assignments in the Middle East and China.
In the film the youngsters are not only astonished to discover the extent of restrictions imposed on the expression of Christian faith and lifestyle, but also about "the depth of faith and commitment which apparently derives from the very restrictions that Western minds find so surprising and unacceptable," the filmmakers said.
11TH AWARD
This is the 11th award received by Open Doors for films it has produced. ‘Behind the Sun’ received eight awards, while ‘Bamboo in Winter’ received two, Open Doors said.
Emphasizing the importance of film drama in connecting the Christian message, Peter Blackman, the outgoing Director of the Churches Media Council, reportedly described The Eastern Bride as "a stunning film and a landmark production in Christian programming."
Eddie Lyle, the CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland, said cinematographer Iain Morris showed in the film a "genuine compassion and concern for the Persecuted Church. This comes across in the Eastern Bride, inspiring the audience and awakening them to the plight faced by our persecuted brothers and sisters."
CHURCHES MEDIA COUNCIL
The Andrew Cross Award is awarded annually by the Churches Media Council, an association which unites churches, broadcasters, broadcasting authorities and media educators to celebrate and encourage the best in journalistic reporting and analysis of religious news and current affairs in radio, television as well as in printed and online media.
Copies of the film are available and on loan for free, Open Doors said. Its website is www.opendoorsuk.org and e-mail info@opendoorsuk.org.
Open Doors says it strengthens persecuted Christians in over 45 countries across the world by training church leaders and Christian workers, supplying Bibles and other Christian literature, providing livelihood training and self-help opportunities, visiting "and comforting those who suffer," and by "raising awareness of the difficulties persecuted Christians face and mobilizing prayer for them throughout the Western world."
The group was founded over five decades ago by Dutchman Anne van der Bijl, also known as ‘Brother Andrew’ who co-authored the best seller ‘God’s Smuggler’, a book focused on his childhood, conversion to Christianity, and adventures as a Bible-smuggler behind the Iron Curtain of what was Communist Europe. It has reportedly sold over 10 million copies in the English language. (With reports from the UK and BosNewsLife’s Stefan J. Bos).
