Believers and non-believers alike will be intrigued and captivated by “Apparition Hill,”  an emotional journey of seven strangers, trying to find answers in their lives by traveling to Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the location of sightings of the Virgin Mary.  Will they find God or the Virgin Mary or something entirely different?   Filmmaker Sean Bloomfield explores this question in his newest inspirational and unbiased documentary, “Apparition Hill.”

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE

Since 1981, according to medjugorje.com, the Virgin Mary “has been appearing and delivering messages to the world.”  Over 40 million people have visited since that date to experience and investigate the phenomenon.   Bloomfield, says, “It’s one of the biggest mysteries happening in the world right now.”  Is this the biggest miracle since Jesus walked the Earth or is it a hoax?  Bloomfield, who has dedicated much of his career to this topic, documents a group of unrelated strangers, traveling together to this Holy place.

Bloomfield hand-selected 7 unique individuals from hundreds of video submissions to gather an eclectic group of people to maintain an unbiased viewpoint.  In talking with the filmmaker, Bloomfield stated that although his faith is evident, he “would hate to make a film that imposes that belief.”  He wanted to do something objective which is why he encouraged skeptics and non-believers to apply.  Sean found a wonderfully honest and open group of people who convey their experiences in a way that lets the audience decide for themselves if this is a hoax or if this place is truly miraculous.

In the film, we meet each of the individuals, several of whom are struggling in life.  Holly has been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.  We meet her family and truly get to know this amazingly strong and remarkable mother and wife.  She is the pivotal “character” that connects the group, looking for peace while her husband accompanies her on this trip.  Mark and Peter are two atheists who are going there with open minds, but most certainly doubting the possibility of experiencing divine intervention.   Ryan is an addict “looking for a miracle,” and Rich is widower who has been raising 9 children on his own for 10 years.

Through the use of video diaries, filming the entire trip, and then a follow-up filming session, “Apparition Hill” allows you to experience not just the trip, but the emotional connections that are made among the group.  As Mark conveyed in a recent interview, the “film really touches on the human condition…we all know somebody in that set of shoes.”  The honest introspection from each of these diverse individuals creates a heartfelt story, but each one comes home with a different story to tell.

Bloomfield hopes that whether or not you believe in God, the film encourages you to “live every day like it’s your last.”  Mark concurred with this, and even though he remains an atheist, he would encourage anyone who is a person of faith, to experience this pilgrimage to Medjugorje.  For non-believers, he said, “It’s nice to just kind of unplug and just go to a peaceful environment.”  He continued, “It’s a great reminder of what we have and what we have to be thankful for.”

Religion, the belief in God, and faith are topics we address each and every day.  We are all searching for answers or trying in some way to make sense of life.  “Apparition Hill” thoroughly and artistically captures the human experience of this miraculous environment.  You can identify with a little bit of each of these individuals which allows you to be a part of this journey.

“Apparition Hill” can be seen in several cities and NYC on November 25 through December 1.  For a complete listing of theaters, go to  ApparitionHill.org/screenings  You can also schedule a community screening at  Host a Screening.

And check back soon for the audio interviews with Sean Bloomfield and Mark Swoboda.