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2026 GLOBAL VIDEO CONTEST
Holy Cross Family Ministries presents · 2026

The Global
Video Contest

What does a happy, healthy, and holy family look like today?

Young filmmakers around the world answer through stories shaped by family, culture, challenge, and faith.

Watch the winning filmsExplore the contest
Stories from Kenya · Uganda · Tanzania2026 winning films
About the contest

Happy, Healthy,
and Holy Families

Global Expressions of Families Flourishing

What makes a family flourish today? Young filmmakers around the world answer in their own voices.

In an era marked by rapid societal changes, technological advancements, and global challenges, the concept of a family—happy, healthy, and holy—evolves continually. The Global Family Flourishing Video Contest aims to capture and celebrate the diverse manifestations of flourishing families in the 21st century.

We invite high school and college students of all ages worldwide to share their visions, stories, and research on what constitutes a thriving family today. Their films can inspire people in other communities to model these virtues in their own lives.

In the spirit of Venerable Patrick Peyton, founder of Holy Cross Family Ministries, the contest invites young people to use video to carry his message forward.

THE AIM

To start a global dialogue, highlight positive models of family life, and show how families face change and challenge across cultures.

“The family that prays together, stays together.”— Venerable Patrick Peyton
2026 results

Meet the winning films

Three stories from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania lead this year's global celebration.

Threads of Prayer video thumbnail
1st place · Kenya

Threads of Prayer

Kenya Medical Training College. Also recognized for Best Visual Impact and Best Actress: Veronica as Mrs. Mbithi.

Watch the film
When Hope Found Me video thumbnail
2nd place · Uganda

When Hope Found Me

Holy Cross Family Ministries, Fort Portal, Uganda.

Watch the film
My Family – Familia Yangu video thumbnail
3rd place · Tanzania

My Family – Familia Yangu

Holy Cross Family Ministries, Tanzania.

Watch the film

Watch all 10 contest films

Special recognition

More stories worth celebrating

Best Actor
Ilukori Anthony as Father Matthew in The Power of The Rosary

Best Storytelling
The Ear of the Heart · Family Rosary Chile

Most Inspirational Message
The Power of The Rosary

Best Cultural Representation
Praying Inspite of Tensions – Tenter De Prier Malgre Les Tensions · Haiti

Excellence in Technical Execution
Happy, Healthy and Holy Families · HCFM South India / Karnataka

Contest information and guidelines

How the 2026 contest worked

Young filmmakers were asked to portray diverse experiences of family flourishing and the challenges families face, sharing what makes families happy, healthy, and holy.

  • Open to high school and college students worldwide, of all ages.
  • Each Ministry Center submitted one winning video to the HCFM International Office by August 1, 2026.
  • The official entry form had to be completed and submitted first.
  • Videos featuring minors under 18 required a minor release form before consideration.
  • Music had to meet copyright requirements; original music was encouraged.

The 2026 submission deadline has passed. The original resources remain here for reference.

From the contest archive

A previous international winner

Guhit ng Pag-Asa (Stroke of Hope)

This Philippines entry was named a Grand Prize Winner for the theme “Families Flourishing Together as Pilgrims of Hope.”

Scene from Guhit ng Pag-Asa (Stroke of Hope)Watch the film
Why these stories matter

Family stories can travel further than borders.

Every film begins with a young person’s view of family life in a particular place. Seen together, the entries show different ways families care for one another, respond to difficulty, and make room for faith.

That is the value of the contest: it gives young people a voice, invites families across cultures into conversation, and makes positive examples visible for others to carry home.

Watch the 2026 filmsDiscover HCFM