What do the American flag, the Shroud of Turin and a Japanese cherry blossom tree have in common? They are all examples of “mana,” the Polynesian word for the power that resides in things. Beginning with a Maori priest in a New Zealand rainforest, this ambitious, fascinating film embarks on an odyssey around the globe and into the human mind to observe how people from diverse cultures invest these spiritual and secular “power objects” with special meaning. Beautifully shot—and at once serious and whimsical—this unique meditation on the fundamental, universal concept of human belief is a challenging but rewarding journey.  TL