Contest seeking first-time religious screenwriters

Los Angeles, Calif., Oct 4, 2005 / 22:00 pm

First-time screenwriters with a religious message will have a chance to get their scripts noticed by top Hollywood executives in the First John Templeton Foundation Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays.

"We hope the establishment of the Kairos Prize will encourage talented young screenwriters with new ideas and a great respect for the biblical faith to move forward on that project they have in mind, and to inundate Hollywood with moral, inspirational movies," Dr. Jack Templeton.

Disney's Dick Cook and Dreamworks' Jeffrey Katzenberg will sit on the judge’s panel.

Co-sponsored by the Templeton Foundation and the Christian Film & Television Commission(TM), the top three winners will receive prizes totaling $50,000. The grand prize is $25,000, and runner-up awards are $15,000 and $10,000 each.

The winners’ names and scripts will also be announced at the 14th Annual Movieguide(R) Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry, attended by more than 200 top executives, filmmakers and celebrities.

Several of the top movie studios have already promised to give a first look at the three winning scripts.

The Kairos Prize is designed to encourage aspiring screenwriters to create movies with storylines that help to increase man's love for and understanding of God, similar to the criteria for the Epiphany Prize.

First-time writers must submit their scripts by Nov. 25. The late deadline is Jan. 6. The prizes will be awarded at the MOVIEGUIDE(R) Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry March 2.

For more information, go to: www.kairosprize.com