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  (Photo: www.renunciaofilme.com.br)
  Brazilian Film “Surrender”(Renúncia in Portuguese), debuted in Maranhão state, in the Northeastern part of Brazil on Nov. 23rd, 2011.

Brazilian Film “Surrender” (Renúncia in Portuguese) has debuted in Maranhão state, in the Northeastern region of Brazil. The film has reportedly had a big impact on viewers and has brought several to Christ on its first day Nov. 23.

Tickets were sold out for the premiere and a huge queue of people formed outside the Trade Palace Auditorium.

Luara Lins, author of the film, told The Christian Post that his “expectations were exceeded.”

“Yesterday alone, there were 50 people who converted to Christ through the film,” he said to CP. “We are seeing God doing great things.”

The film is part of a project that aims to show the importance of a life based on biblical principles and how a person’s future is determined by their decisions.

"The Surrender Project is more than a film,” explained Lins. The author explains that the film as well as a book and CD of the film are just audiovisual resources that advocates people to surrender their lives to Christ.

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Surrender tells the story of Nanda, a young Christian who turns away from God after entering university, where she becomes exposed to the world of drugs, sex and lust.

Lins was inspired to write the story after reviewing a 2006 survey conducted by Steven Hernderson, president of the Christian Consulting for Colleges and Ministries Institute, which showed around 58 percent of young Christians in the United States left the Church after entering college. A similar survey was applied to universities in Brazil and showed the same tendency.

“I was very intrigued and surprised to read this article. Each day it is clear how horrible it is the number of young people who get lost in colleges and universities around the world, entering a world of complete illusion, that leads them to a life with no God,” the author said.

More than 300 volunteers worked on the production, which included producers, technical team, actors and extras. The filming started in February 2010 and cost approximately $32,000.

Surrender will premiere across the country and possibly worldwide in December, and will be distributed and dubbed into English and Spanish by the Assemblies of God Publishing House (CPAD).

According to the author, calls have been received from all over Brazil and other countries such as Africa and the United States after the debut. Lins believes that the film has the potential to bring many more to Christ, especially young people.

“I hope the movie will be a tool of God for evangelism of the youth in Brazil and worldwide,” he told CP.

Lins urged Christian leaders and pastors to worry less about "financial prosperity" - an issue that has been plaguing churches in Brazil - and to worry more about sanctification of the people.

“Because it is through sanctification that we can meet our Lord,” he concluded.