ELCA NEWS SERVICE March 30, 2004 Lutheran Projects Win in 2004 Wilbur Awards Competition 04-053-JB BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Lutheran or Lutheran-related projects won top awards for films and books in the 2004 Wilbur Awards competition. The awards, presented here March 27 at the Birmingham Museum of Art, recognized outstanding secular media entries that feature religious issues, themes and values. The awards are presented annually by the Religion Communicators Council (RCC). The Wilbur Awards are named for Marvin C. Wilbur, a pioneer in the field of religion public relations. The RCC, based in New York, is the oldest and largest organization of professional communicators of religion. This year the RCC is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Wilbur Awards were presented in 17 categories for newspapers, magazines, editorial cartoons and comic strips, books, radio, television and films. Two films related to Lutheran historic figures were awarded Wilburs in the categories of film documentary and film drama. In the documentary category the winner was "Bonhoeffer," distributed by Journey Films, Alexandria, Va., and narrated and directed by Martin Doblmeier. "Luther" was the winner in the film drama category. That motion picture was distributed by NFP teleart, Berlin, Germany, and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Minneapolis. Producers were Christian P. Stehr, Brigitte Rochow and Alexander Thies; Eric Till was director; and Dennis A. Clauss, Kurt Rittig, Gabriela Pfandner and J. Daniel Nichols were executive producers. The Rev. Heidi B. Neumark, Trinity Lutheran Church, Manhattan, N.Y., author of "Breathing Space: A Spiritual Journey in the South Bronx," was awarded the Wilbur for non-fiction books. Neumark's book was published by Beacon Press, Boston. The Wilbur Awards presentation was hosted by Kathy Times, investigative reporter for WVTM TV, an NBC-TV affiliate in Birmingham. The Rev. Eric C. Shafer, director of the ELCA Department for Communication, Chicago, chairs the Wilbur Awards. Winners received a stained-glass trophy. -- -- -- A list of 2004 Wilbur Award winners is at http://www.religioncommunicators.org/ on the RCC Web site. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news