“Light of the World,” the independent animated feature from Salvation Poem Project, received the award for Best Movie for Children at the 33rd Annual Movieguide Awards in Los Angeles.
The film beat out major studio releases for the award, including Disney’s “Zootopia 2” and Angel Studios’ “The King of Kings.” In addition to its win, “Light of the World” was also nominated for the Grace Prize for Most Inspiring Performance in Movies (Actress) for Rebekah Schafer and for the Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring Movie, the awards’ highest honor.
“Movieguide has written about or reviewed most of the hundreds of Gospel movies that have been produced since 1897,” says Dr. Ted Baehr, founder and publisher of Movieguide. “‘Light of the World’ is one of the best and won our prestigious Movieguide award for the best movie for children and families in 2025.”
Created by a small team based in Sparta, Wisconsin, Salvation Poem Project expanded from five employees in 2021 to a full production house and produced and distributed its first feature-length animated film independently. Directed by John J. Schafer and Tom Bancroft, “Light of the World” retells the life of Jesus from a child’s perspective, reflecting the ministry’s mission to make the Gospel simple to understand and impossible to forget.
Released in September 2025 in just over 2,000 theaters across the United States, the film continues to expand internationally, with releases in 30 countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Brazil.
The film earned a rare “A” CinemaScore from opening-night audiences and has maintained a 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
“For us, it’s really about the impact,” said Brennan McPherson, President of Salvation Poem Project. “Awards are encouraging, but what matters most is seeing lives changed through a clear presentation of the Gospel.”
As part of its global outreach strategy, Salvation Poem Project completed 18 translations of “Light of the World” in 2025, with 24 additional translations planned for 2026, to serve churches and ministry partners worldwide.
Salvation Poem Project is a non-profit ministry headquartered in Sparta, Wisconsin, dedicated to creating entertainment that makes the Gospel simple to understand and impossible to forget. Founded with a vision to inspire a relationship with Jesus through compelling storytelling, the organization combines artistic excellence with evangelistic purpose.
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