Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie's directorial effort has touched the hearts of moviegoers worldwide, especially Christians, making it especially fitting that it has been recognised with an accolade by the Movieguide Christian movie awards.
According to the Assist News Service, Jolie's "Unbroken" took the top prize in the Best Mature Audience Films category during the 23rd Movieguide Faith and a Values Awards. The event was held in the Universal Hotel Hilton in California last Friday.
Unbroken is the story of Louis "Louie" Zamperini, a star athlete who was drafted into a bomber crew during World War II. Zamperini survived for 47 days aboard a life raft in the Pacific Ocean. They were subsequently captured by Japanese forces, at whose hands they suffered cruel treatment until the end of the war, when they were released after the Allies defeated Imperial Japan.
After returning to the United States, a broken Zamperini became a Christian as a result of Billy Graham's evangelisation and was able to forgive his captors. He was active in sharing his faith until his death in July last year.
Zamperini's experiences were chronicled in the book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, by Laura Hillenbrand, and Jolie based the movie on the accounts published in the book.
Jolie's movie has also won other accolades. Jack O'Connell, hand picked by Jolie to play Zamperini in the movie, won the BAFTA Rising Star Award during the EE British Academy Film Awards for his role in the movie.
After he was presented the award by James McAvoy, O'Connell revealed to reporters that he had always aspired to receive a BAFTA as a child, according to the BBC.
"I remember I was part of a TV workshop in Nottingham, and taught by a wonderful man Ian Smith , And we had won a BAFTA, I don't know what for but I remember being at that age inspired. Now I find myself with one," the actor said.
