A film that aims to prove that looking for God will lead to finding your humanity will show during the Bermuda International Film Festival.

'The Invocation' is directed, written and produced by Emmanuel Itier, who was also the director of the horror film "Scarecrow".

One of the producers is local entrepreneur Dawn Zuill, who spoke to The Royal Gazette about how she came to be involved and what the film meant to her.

The film has some compelling features, but the most important thing in her opinion is the timing, explained Mrs. Zuill.

"The production has been done in such a way that a topic sometimes viewed as 'boring' has been packaged in a way that you don't feel bored at all watching it, in fact it offers a silly humorous presentation to a serious topic, which keeps the viewers attention and encourages some deep thinking about your own personal role in life."

Mrs. Zuill met the director through her involvement with BIFF, but it was last year when she was having dinner with his family that he discussed his ideas with her.

"He started talking about the concept and I think it is something you can really appreciate at this point in time," she said.

"I think partly because it was a documentary more about the notion of God. Originally it was about God, about war and about peace, which of course are very conflicting issues.

"I think that he set out without a very strong religious background to try and find the meaning of God, the meaning of Allah or whatever that energy or that higher power is for different people.

"I think that the reason that it has been so productive is that he basically didn't go in with any preconceived notions, he's not Catholic or Muslim or anything, he went in with a completely open mind and for that reason he was very happy to interview anybody and everybody.

"So he has yoga instructors, ministers and as you see Archbishop Desmond Tutu and some other great names."

Mrs. Zuill's thoughts were that the film itself brings everyone back to their own responsibility to other human beings.

"It is certainly what I have taken out of the finished product," she said.

"And I think that most people are finding that it is a positive message about tolerance and of accepting people, enjoying, honouring and celebrating our differences."

Asked what attracted her to the film, she answered: "I think just the notion of going out and speaking to as many people as you can and coming up with a meaningful conversation and dialogue about a subject that we really don't know the answer to.

"When they were originally presenting it, I think it was a movie that was not going to be geared towards determining whether there is a God, but just trying to understand about other people's beliefs to a higher power, and respecting their views and I think out of the search comes a sympathy and a willingness to tolerate other people, and to be kind to your fellow man."

So far 'The Invocation' has been screened at The Santa Barbara International Film Festival to positive reviews. It takes audiences on an enlightened journey to "look for the notion of God and peace around the world through religion, spirituality, science, history, politics, philosophy and entertainment".

In a time when people are looking for hope, this film inspires to spread a message of unity by asking "What religion is God?"

The film boasts an impressive cast of both international and local talent and stars Pastor Damon Hendrickson, the chairman of the Cabinet's Clergy Against Crime Committee and Rev. Wilbur Lowe, who is the Pastor of the Mount Zion AME Church.

In addition, there are well-known Hollywood stars such as Mark Wahlberg, of "The Departed", "Max Payne", and "Boogie Nights", and Rosario Dawson, who starred in "Eagle Eye", "Sin City", and "Rent" as well as award winning director and producer Oliver Stone, who was responsible for "Nixon", "JFK", "Any Given Sunday" and "Platoon".

Also among the celebrity cast are world leaders and speakers such as Deepak Chopra, the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

In addition, the film also features a musical score by singers Annie Lennox, Deepak Chopra, and Dave Stewart.

The ultimate goal of the film is to prove that "looking for God leads to finding Mankind". Though director Emmanuel Itier, urges the public to "elevate our school of thinking and change our code of acting with each other" by interviewing renowned leaders and celebrities from around the world.

Several local names were put forward, but at the end of the day only two were able to take part last summer due to timing constraints.

Asked how she thought the many churches on the Island who are under the impression that only their church or fellow churches will go to Heaven, she said: "I think the film has a message of hope and unity and it fully embraces the concept of God, of love, of tolerance and peace, and I think that the point is that all religions embrace these same positive attributes.

"It is just an enlightening film that gives you other viewpoints and I think that we are all feeling, and thinking, and concerned, and everyone wants to live with hope, because when we don't have hope, that is when the world starts to fail. This gets you dreaming of a better future."

The screening at the Specialty Cinemas in Hamilton takes place today at 3.45 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at 53 Front Street or on the Bermuda International Film Festival website at www.bermudafilmfest.com