THE DOVE FOUNDATION
ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE
1ST ANNUAL CRYSTAL DOVE SEAL

February 20 (Grand Rapids, MI) – The Dove Foundation announced today the creation of the CRYSTAL DOVE SEAL, an award designed to highlight Hollywood’s film-making achievements for the vast and diverse family audience.  The first annual awards honor films in 6 categories: Best Drama, Best Comedy, Best Action-Adventure, Best Animated, Best Documentary, and Best Limited Release.

Since 1991, The Dove Foundation has publicly recognized motion picture storytelling that exemplifies positive and uplifting values with its familiar blue and white Dove FAMILY APPROVED Seal. The Foundation review board awarded its Seal to 58 feature films representing a wide variety of genres during 2007.

“It’s not rocket science,” said Dove co-founder and CEO, Dick Rolfe. “Films that elevate rather than denigrate the human spirit are bound to appeal to a wider audience.  It is a win-win scenario – the movie-going public has a wider variety of appropriate movies to choose from and the film industry has the potential for larger revenues garnered throughout the distribution pipeline.”

The Dove Foundation Review Board selected the “best of the best” Dove Family-Approved movies for 2007.  The CRYSTAL DOVE SEAL pays special tribute to those studios that have demonstrated increased awareness in the value of providing the huge family audience with more appropriate choices.

On February 19, 2008, Rolfe presented the CRYSTAL DOVE SEAL trophies for the six winners. “These outstanding films represent the highest examples of quality storytelling combined with positive values that most Americans hold dear,” Rolfe said.  “To that point, the Crystal Dove Seal winners grossed $536 million at the box office, compared with the Best Picture Oscar nominees which grossed $295 million.”

 

CRYSTAL DOVE SEAL WINNERS FOR 2007

  • BEST COMEDY – THE GAME PLAN – WALT DISNEY PICTURES
  • BEST ACTION-ADVENTURE – NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS – WALT DISNEY PICTURES
  • LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 19: Disney's Mark Zoradi and The Dove Foundation's Dick Rolfe at the 1st Annual Crystal Dove Seal presentation on February 19, 2008. (Photo©Eric Charbonneau/Le Studio)BEST ANIMATED FEATURE – RATATOUILLE – WALT DISNEY / PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS

Accepting for Walt Disney Pictures, Mark Zoradi, President

“The Walt Disney Studios is proud to have three of its films honored with the first-ever Crystal Dove Seal.  ‘The Game Plan,’ ‘Ratatouille,’ and ‘National Treasure: Book of Secrets’ are three excellent examples of the kind of films that Disney does best, and films that families can enjoy together. We are grateful to The Dove Foundation for this special recognition.”
— Mark Zoradi, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group

  • LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 19: Anschutz Film Group's David Weil and The Dove Foundation's Dick Rolfe at the 1st Annual Crystal Dove Seal presentation on February 19, 2008. (Photo©Eric Charbonneau/Le Studio)BEST DRAMA – AMAZING GRACE: THE STORY OF WILLIAM WILBERFORCE – WALDEN MEDIA

Accepting for Walden Media, David Weil, CEO, Anschutz Film Group

“We are honored to receive the Crystal Dove Seal for our film, ‘Amazing Grace’. Dove’s acknowledgment of the film’s uplifting and inspirational message is an important and gratifying validation of our work. We are very grateful.”
— David Weil, CEO, Anschutz Film Group

  • BEST DOCUMENTARY – ARCTIC TALE – PARAMOUNT CLASSICS

“The filmmakers, National Geographic and Paramount Classics are extremely grateful to have this honor bestowed upon ‘Arctic Tale’.  We thank The Dove Foundation for their ongoing support of this very special project.”
— Megan Colligan, executive vice president of marketing and publicity, Paramount Classics 

  • LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 19: Independent Producers Alliance's Rick Eldridge and The Dove Foundation's Dick Rolfe at the 1st Annual Crystal Dove Seal presentation on February 19, 2008. (Photo©Eric Charbonneau/Le Studio)BEST LIMITED RELEASE – THE ULITIMATE GIFT – INDEPENDENT PRODUCER’S ALLIANCE, LLC

Accepting for IPA, Rick Eldridge, President

“As an independent filmmaker, IPA is committed to family values-based entertainment. To be recognized by The Dove Foundation for ‘The Ultimate Gift’ is a great honor.”
— Rick Eldridge, president, Independent Producer’s Alliance 

The Dove Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging the entertainment industry to create, produce and distribute a greater proportion of movies that are appropriate for family viewing; and to seeing the public better equipped to identify family-friendly movies and more deeply committed to support them.  Hundreds of thousands of visitors each month rely on www.dove.org for up-to-date reviews of movies and DVDs.