Sparkhouse has won big at the International Christian Film Festival (ICFF) in Orlando, Fla. A branch of Augsburg Fortress Publishers, the Minneapolis-based publisher received the award of Best Short Film for the animated offering Abraham and Sarah, which was originally produced for the re:form Ancestors faith-formation curriculum for youth.

"We develop these videos to help kids learn about the Bible and explore their faith, [so] until several months ago submitting our work to a film festival wasn't even on our radar," said Aaron Christopher, executive producer of Sparkhouse video and co-director of the film with Jared Neher, senior video producer.

Sparkhouse was established in 2008 with the mission of developing resources for children, youth and adults that spark new life in Christian communities. Since its inception, the company has focused on utilizing technology, language and active learning concepts that align with 21st-century lifestyles.

"There's a lot of passion for what we do at Sparkhouse," Christopher said. “Our ultimate goal is to create imaginative tools of faith exploration that anyone can use and find personally meaningful. My hope is that this award will generate greater awareness of the innovative resources Sparkhouse is creating."

The ICFF was founded in 2013 to create an avenue for Christian filmmakers to share their vision with the world. This year's festival took place April 25-27 and received almost 200 submissions.

Click here to view the award-willing short film.

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