Best Actor Nominees 2023

 Pursuit of Freedom

  Stelio Savante is a multilingual South African American SAG awards nominee (UGLY BETTY) and American Movie award winner (THE TWO THIEVES by Dallas Jenkins) who can currently be seen starring opposite Anne Heche in her final performance on film, the noir WHAT REMAINS, opposite Matt Dillon and Jim Caviezel in the drama RUNNING FOR GRACE, opposite Jim Caviezel in the action thriller INFIDEL, and opposite Frank Langella and Bobby Cannavale in the new Lionsgate comedy, ANGRY NEIGHBORS. Stelio is also known for voicing the lead role of 'Ajax; in the video game series CALL OF DUTY, and for portraying Moses in the biblical series, THE CHOSEN. 

 Silent Night in Algona

  Bodhi Rader was born in Germany and grew up on a farm in a small village, before his family relocated to the U.S. He attended middle and high school in South Florida, before achieving a Bachelor of Science summa-cum-laude from the University of Florida. After serving four years as an Air Force officer, he attended the University of Cambridge for a Master's in Sustainable Development Engineering. Though he excelled in school, Bodhi was a keen study of people, and realized he needed to honor his creative desires. He began acting after honing his performance as a public speaker, group fitness instructor, and team leader motivated by a desire to reach others through performance. He made his debut with commercial acting and independent film roles.

 Imposter Pastor   

Michael Jermaine Patterson, a native of Washington, D.C. and winner of 2022 Best Actor in a Comedy for Imposter Pastor at the Great Lakes Christian Film Festival, began acting at the age of twelve years old after an introduction to theater arts. Years later, he took a serious interest in a number of martial arts disciplines as well as conditioning himself for many years as a track & field sprinter/hurdler. Although he enjoyed the number of other talents God blessed him with, Michael continued to have a huge passion for becoming a successful actor. He thanks the Lord and the number of close friends and family that support him in the challenging realm of the entertainment industry.

Silent Night in Algona

Curran Jacobs directed and co-wrote the hit documentary, “For the Love of Catch,” which explores the roots of amateur and professional wrestling and the effect they have had on society since the beginning of time. The film was applauded by audiences all over the world for its depth of knowledge, history and overall entertainment. A former Captain for the Michigan State Spartan wrestling team, Curran went on to win the catch wrestling world championship in 2018. With a Masters degree in theater from MSU, Mr. Jacobs is also a well established actor and producer out of Owosso, MI. “Silent Night in Algona” was his first lead role in a feature film; a WW2 epic based on real events.

 Running The Bases

 From the age of five years old, Brett knew he wanted to be a filmmaker. The son of an internationally known cartoonist meant that Brett was constantly surrounded by storytelling. The love of the craft of film propelled him to chase his dreams from a young age. After graduating college at Ball State University, Brett had already won a regional Emmy Award for directing and was also a two-time David Letterman Scholarship winner. Brett went on to create his own production company, House of Grace Studios, and is now a director, actor, and writer and has over 18 years of experience in the film and television industry. He has created content for the big screen, broadcast, digital platforms, online streaming platforms, and his content has been viewed by millions of people around the world. Brett’s ambition in life is to share the hope of Jesus Christ through the art of film. 

 I'm Not Him

JOHN PALLADINO stars as Jimmy Valentino in I’m Not Him. John has also starred or appeared in critically acclaimed films and studio blockbusters including Tesla (dir. Michael Almereyda. Sundance 2020), Hustlers (dir. Lorene Scafaria), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, and Experimenter (dir. Michael Almereyda. Sundance 2016). His television credits include a recurring role on “Orange Is the New Black”, “The Good Wife”, “Bull”, “The Code”, and “Power Book II: Ghost” among others.

 Jesus Revolution 

The Sound of Freedom 

 Devotion

 Devotion