FOOTSTEPS, A JOURNEY IN FAITH is a timely documentary that professes an interfaith message for the creation of peace, no matter how different our beliefs. It is the story of twelve religious leaders from Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Unitarian traditions, and their journey to the Holy Land. These leaders all share many similar beliefs but they also have some dramatically different perspectives on faith and especially on the issues in the Middle East.

It’s interesting that a relatively small country like Israel has become such a hotbed of conflict and disagreement—it’s a land without many notable natural resources; no exotic minerals, no oil, no real military advantage, and there’s even a lack of water. Yet, it stands to be one of the most fought over places in human history. There are daily outbursts of violence and bloodshed between various religious groups who all have a connection to the land—be it promised in the Torah, inscribed in the Koran, or written in the Holy Bible. With so many different and prominent religions with roots in the same place, it’s daunting that very few people know anything at all about their neighbor and especially about their religion. After all, it would be a little harder to kill somebody you knew, wouldn’t it?

Thankfully, there is a new ray of hope that caught my attention; a group of twelve very different religious leaders—not just adherents—but senior leaders, that have come together for an interfaith dialogue to get to know each other and truly understand each other. Many in the group have been meeting regularly for over a decade and their only real mission is to get to know, understand, and appreciate each other. They decided that in order to deepen their experience together, they would venture to the one place in the world where everything would truly come to the surface: Israel and Palestine. Their willingness to open their minds to new experiences and to achieve a higher level of understanding in today’s political setting was the reason I wanted to make this documentary.

Going into this project, I had no idea what to expect, nor did I know where this story would take us. I can now say that taking on such a project was the best decision I’ve ever made. Through some unexpected twists and turns of fate, my life was dramatically impacted in ways I could not have predicted going into this project. My own faith was tested and then strengthened by a series of medical events I experienced while producing this documentary. I was told that I most likely had stomach cancer - a form of inoperable cancer. Upon hearing this news, Father Michael O'Connell, a participant in the film, came to visit me in the hospital and prayed with me. Immediately after he left my hospital room, the doctor came in and informed me that it was not stomach cancer after all. What a testimony to the power of prayer and faith! It turned out that I was subsequently diagnosed with diabetes and liver disease, along with other medical complications, however treatable and the prognosis was as positive as one could expect. I became more determined to get well and continue with the project so that in the end we were able to produce a powerful and very meaningful documentary about faith, understanding and hope for a future of peace among all believers.

- Dennis J. Mahoney
Director/Producer