ED ASNER, JON VOIGHT AND OTHER CAMIE AWARD WINNERS
PAST AND PRESENT CELEBRATED UPLIFTING, INSPIRATIONAL
THEMES IN FILM AND TELEVISION AT
STAR-STUDDED GALA CEREMONY AT
THE WILSHIRE THEATRE BEVERLY HILLS MAY 3
* * *
The Awards Ceremony Featured
Musical Performances By Jim Brickman, Marilyn McCoo
& Billy Davis Jr., and Clint Holmes And Will Be Syndicated By
Starfish Television Network For Viewing
On TV Stations Across North America

Once again honoring the virtues of character, integrity and inspirational themes in contemporary film and television, the 2008 CAMIE AWARDS made a thrilling, star-studded splash at the beautiful 1,900 seat Wilshire Theatre Beverly Hills on Saturday, May 3.

The audience responded with a unique support and enthusiasm as the CAMIEs not only honored the actors, writers, directors and producers of this year’s ten winning films but also brought back CAMIE AWARD winners from past years as presenters; among the luminaries giving out this year’s awards were Edward Asner and Peter Jason (winners for The Christmas Card who presented the award this year for The Note), as well as Academy Award winner Jon Voight, who made his third appearance at the CAMIEs.

The hosts for the 6th annual event were television personality Leanza Cornett and Entertainment Tonight co-host Mark Steines.

The musical entertainment was spectacular throughout the show, beginning with popular composer and pianist Jim Brickman performing his joyful instrumental “If You Believe” on a grand piano and inviting vocalist Anne Cochran to sing a song that exemplified the theme of many of the CAMIE winning films, “Simple Things.” Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. sang their trademark hit “You Don’t Have To Be A Star,” “You Are So Beautiful” and a powerful arrangement of “Amazing Grace” that captured the spirit of one of the evening’s winners, Amazing Grace, a film that told the story behind the beloved hymn. The two were recently on NBC’s Today Show talking about the CAMIEs, and NBC aired a clip of their performance.

In addition, Vegas based entertainer Clint Holmes sang three of his original inspirational compositions, including “If Not Now, When?”, “I Sing” and “Who Will Stand?” which he wrote as a tribute to our men and women in uniform for a documentary of the same name. Stefanie Cosman, VP of CAMIE AWARDS Productions and co-Executive Producer of the show, says, “We chose musical guests whose songs were thematic to our core message of uplifting family values and entertainment.”

CAMIE AWARDS are presented to entertaining and uplifting theatrical motion pictures and made-for-television films that provided positive role models for building character, overcoming adversity and strengthening families. The CAMIE AWARD winning theatrical films honored were Amazing Grace, Bridge to Terabithia, Miss Potter, Nancy Drew and The Ultimate Gift. The CAMIE recipients in the made-for-television category were Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness (Hallmark Hall of Fame), Love’s Unending Legacy (Hallmark Channel), The Note (Hallmark Channel), Pictures of Hollis Woods (Hallmark Hall of Fame) and Saving Sarah Cain (Believe Pictures).

During the show, film clips from this year’s winners were complemented by excerpts from films that had won in the past. Special moments during the evening included Alice Evans, a 2007 CAMIE winner for The Christmas Card, presenting an award to her husband Ioan Gruffudd, star of Amazing Grace; Lord Taylor from Great Britain’s House of Lords, who is in charge of the film rating system for the British Isles, presenting the award for Miss Potter; and some charming off-the-cuff humor from some of the child actors involved in the award winning productions.

Dean Cain, a CAMIE AWARD winner for his role as Bruce Murakami in Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness, was not in attendance but spoke in a videotaped message about his role in the powerful film. Murakami made a special speech discussing his overcoming of the real life tragedy that inspired the film and honored Cain for his distinct portrayal.

CAMIE AWARDS Productions will be putting the show up for syndication throughout North America this summer. Viewers are urged to check back at www.CAMIE.org for updates. Following its syndication, CAMIE AWARDS Productions’ parent company Starfish Television Network will also run the show multiple times in its ongoing effort to promote the CAMIE mission.

Speaking of this year’s CAMIE AWARDS, President of CAMIE AWARDS Productions and show co-Executive Producer Joe Lake said, “This could not have been a better year to launch the CAMIEs in Beverly Hills, with so many new participants and longtime attendees enjoying the ceremony at the first class Wilshire Theatre. We are looking forward to having more opportunities to showcase high quality family entertainment in the future.”