Two first-time competitors at the Ignite Christian film festival have swept the pool with three awards, including best film, for translating the Apostle Paul into the 21st century.
Ben Field and Bruce Van Niekerk from Hillsong Church, Castle Hill, picked up this year's Golden Sparky, the jury prize for best film, as well as Best Actor and Best Cinematography for their short film "Arthur'.
The Golden Sparky includes the Mary Bladon Gospel Award of $2500.
"It was weird to get three awards," says a clearly-overwhelmed Mr Van Niekerk.
"It was a shock getting the first two and we really didn't expect to get the Golden Sparky at all. A lot of work went into it so we're very happy."
The Ignite Film Festival encourages film-makers to translate passages of the Bible to the big screen with this year's theme, "Fire'.
"Arthur' pictures the Apostle Paul as a knock-about middle-aged man with a Cockney accent passing on hard-won truths to the newly converted.
Mr Field says they owe his mother for their inspiration.
"My mum sent me a text message saying to read Colossians 3 after she had been reading it one day," he explains.
"I woke up and there was the message on my phone. We went to the passage two weeks later and we saw fire was in the verse, so we started writing."
"Arthur' will be featured on the Seven Network's highlights of the Ignite Film Festival on Christmas Day, as well as in this year's competition DVD.
Organisers say another sure "Fire' inclusion for the DVD will be "The Denial', the winner of this year's Bright Spark award for promising film makers.
Ryan Somerfield, from Day Spring Church, Castle Hill, says his re-take of the Last Supper was a communal effort.
"It's a film about a guy who denies Christ just like Peter does in the New Testament," he explains.
"I did it with some mates from mine at youth group. I'm 16 years old and a Year 10 student at Northern Beaches Christian School. It feels great to get the Bright Spark award."
Competition judge and director for the Centre of Apologetic Scholarship and Education, Greg Clarke, says the Ignite Film Festival speaks to a 21st century audience.
"Some of the films really used the visual medium well. That's the important thing about this night, to work out how to get biblical truths across visually. I was thrilled that many of the films did that," Dr Clarke says.
"I also enjoyed the sense of humour. It shows you that the Christian message is serious but it can come across with human emotions like love, affection, humour and enjoyment and that I think is fantastic."
A total of nine awards were handed out with a full list of the winners available on the Ignite website.
Twenty six of the top films entered are also being released for use in ministry on this year's competition DVD.
The festival is set to become a fixture at the Sydney Town Hall and the Christian youth calendar with organisers announcing the theme for next year's film festival will be "Light'.
