New Film, 'The Triumph' Sells Out First Advanced Screening

Powerful documentary from Catholic filmmaker on Medjugorje draws buzz

ADDISON, Ill., Feb. 20, 2013/Christian Newswire/ -- The inaugural advance screening of "The Triumph," a new documentary slated for release in theaters this spring, sold out its first showing at the Marcus Addison Cinema Theater with well over two weeks to go. The 90-minute documentary on the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje chronicles events that have taken place from the perspectives of pilgrims, priests and one of the visionaries with a depth and clarity never before seen on the big screen. 

"We're humbled this first 'pre-event' surpassed our expectations so early on," said Sean Bloomfield, the film's director, whose work also includes If Only We Had Listened with Immaculée Ilibagiza. "The excitement we're feeling is a testament to the incredible power of the story and the hunger to learn what's really going on in this little-known, remote village in Eastern Europe." 

Controversy surrounding the alleged apparitions of Our Blessed Mother is nothing new, but a documentary exploring the cultural phenomenon with interviews from those who are witnessing its effects first-hand is a journey that hasn't been made in earnest until now. 

"We've come to rely on information that's based on hearsay and headlines and this film cuts through all of that," said Zaid Jazrawi, the film's producer and co-creator. "Our principal goal in bringing a film to theaters that explores this alleged phenomena is to offer a closer look at what seems to be the Ground Zero of mass conversions to the faith." 

Since 1981, Medjugorje has received over 30 million visitors and remains the largest active confessional in the world. Because the apparitions allegedly continue to this day through a number of the visionaries, the Church has not authenticated the reported experiences. While the Magesterium would likely not promulgate a ruling until the purported apparitions cease, that hasn't had any effect on the growing number of 'informal' pilgrimages from across the Globe. 

Funded partly through a crowd-funding campaign at www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-triumph, The Triumph's March 18 pre-release will be in select cities across the U.S. Visit www.thetriumph.org.