‘Lego Movie 2’ wins big at 2020 Movieguide Awards; Kathie Lee Gifford receives Visionary Award
The 2020 Movieguide Awards aired on Hallmark Drama Monday and “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” took home the top prize at the faith and family Hollywood event.
The mainstream film won the honor of Best Movie for Families, and the hit film about Fred Rogers, “A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood,” won Best Movie for Mature Audiences.
“There's nothing cooler than looking at a dad laughing at one of our jokes and he looks down at his 8-year-old daughter and she's laughing at the same joke. It’s just so inspirational,” “The Lego Movie 2” Director Mike Mitchell told The Christian Post on the red carpet and then repeated when accepting the award.
“I'm so thankful for you guys and [Movieguide founder and publisher Dr. Ted] Baehr to honor a film that's for the whole family. That's so great that everyone can laugh at,” he added while on stage.
Co-director Trisha Gum celebrated and told the audience her mother was “praying” that their film would win.
Other award winners included:
“Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings: These Old Bones” — Faith & Freedom Award for TV
“The Least Of These: The Graham Staines Story” — Faith & Freedom Award for Movies
“A Puppy Christmas” — Genesis Animal Award
Aryn Wright-Thompson (“Overcomer”) — Grace Prize for Movies
Jonathan Roumie (“The Chosen”) — Grace Prize for TV
“Overcomer” and “Christmas Wishes” and “Mistletoe Kisses” — Epiphany Prizes for Movie and TV, respectively
Emmy Award-winning TV host Kathie Lee Gifford was also in attendance at the Movieguide Awards and was presented with the Visionary Award by former Regis and Kathie Lee co-host Regis Philbin.
“When I sat in that darkened little movie theater in Annapolis, Maryland, when I was 12 years old, and watched a Billy Graham movie called ‘The Restless Ones,’ it spoke to my heart. I felt like I heard Jesus himself say to me, ‘Kathie, I love you. If you'll trust me, I'll make something beautiful out of your life,’” Gifford said in her acceptance speech.
“Now, all these years later, I'm writing movies, I'm producing movies, and, by the grace of God, now actually even directing movies in Israel to the oratorios that God has been blessing me to write with some of the greatest writers in this world. I simply cannot believe God's grace and bounty in my life. I will forever praise Him and thank Him and, hopefully, make many, many, many movies to come.”
The Movieguide Awards is now available for streaming on the Hallmark Everywhere app.