By Catholic News Service • Posted December 2, 2013

DENVER (CNS) — The Fellowship of Catholic University Students is sponsoring a video contest that features $10,000 in cash prizes.

Judges for the contest include Steve McEveety, executive producer of “Braveheart” and “The Passion of the Christ,” Catholic singer and songwriter Matt Maher, and film actor-producer Eduardo Verastegui, whose credits include “Bella” and “For Greater Glory.”

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The contest, called “Imagine + Nation,” is aimed at filmmakers ages 18-30, and strives to raise up the next generation of storytellers to give them a platform to share “their unique voice and creativity,” said a press release announcing the contest.

The contest’s theme is “Don’t just complain … create!” and its purpose is to give young people a creative outlet to show forth “the goodness, truth and beauty found in Jesus and the Catholic faith.”

“Hollywood is an easy target, and yet it is not enough to criticize it, we must be part of the solution,” said a statement by C.B. Shiepe, who got his start in the entertainment industry at the Walt Disney Studios and is author of the 2011 novel “Cliff Falls.” He added his belief that the contest can show “the present reality of today’s college students in the Catholic Church — that they have a voice and a passion and are expressing it through art in hopes of shaping culture.”

Videos can be submitted in the categories of narrative, documentary or artistic. Videos must be two to eight minutes long. There are four submission deadlines: Dec. 31, early; Jan. 31, regular; Feb. 15, late; and March 15, extended. More contest details can be obtained at www.focus.org/imagine. Questions about the contest can be sent to imagine@focus.org.