Writer, producer and director Tommy Stovall announced “Sedona: The Movie,” the film shot in and around the city’s red rocks, will begin commercial theater screenings Friday, March 16, at Harkins Theatres in Sedona, Tucson and Scottsdale.

“I talked to Harkins and they are excited to book it,” Stovall said. “I told them about the film, they watched the trailer and it made sense to show it in Arizona — to start with.”

The appeal is first of all Sedona, around which the film is centered. It is also a movie about transformation in a quirky, feel-good, magical adventure about finding miracles, Stovall said.

“I think Harkins recognized there’s an audience for this kind of film,” he said. “So many people in Sedona have told us they can’t wait for it to come back.”

“Sedona” is about visitors to the city who encounter eccentric characters and a series of calamities that lead to unexpected miracles. Stovall based some of the film’s characters on real Sedona residents.

In the movie, two inspiring stories of self-discovery intertwine over the course of a day in Sedona. One follows successful advertising executive Tammy [Frances Fisher] on her birthday as she drives from Portland, Ore., to Phoenix to land the biggest client of her career. A wrong turn gets her lost and takes her into Sedona by mistake. As she drives through West Sedona on State Route 89A, a local tour plane makes an emergency landing on the highway and runs Tammy off the road. She is forced to stay in the city while her car is repaired. In the meantime, Tammy encounters several of the city’s quirky characters.

The other story follows Scott [Seth Peterson], an uptight lawyer, on vacation with his partner Eddie [Matt Williamson] and their two young sons. The four set out on a hike to seek some rest and relaxation, when Scott’s 7-year-old son, Denny [Trevor Stovall, Tommy Stovall’s son] gets lost.

Later in the day the two main characters, Tammy and Scott, run into each other and discover something they have in common.

The remainder of the cast and crew for the film includes several Sedona residents: Rand Schwenke, Robert Shields, Jade Lewis, David Castellvi, Zack Larez, Maureen Barton, Dean Edleson, Tina Reichow, Alena Justilla, Sarah Ann Lesslie, Paul Lennon, Patricia Wheat, Jim McGilvray, Julie Johnson, Shauna McCoy, Natalia McKendry and Charles Carter.

The film had an informal debut screening to sold-out crowds at the 2011 Sedona International Film Festival and received rave reviews at the October Hollywood Film Festival.

“The hope is to expand to other theaters. If it’s successful Harkins may book it in their other theaters — hopefully,” Stovall said.

Hollywood was the first time Stovall and fellow producers Marc Sterling and Ebony Tay saw the film away from a Sedona audience.

“They loved it just as a movie, and that was really exciting,” Stovall said. “Our goal all along is to have people see the movie and want to come here. It’s like a 90-minute commercial for Sedona.”

Stovall said some people who saw the film in Hollywood as well as others at the Louisville [Kentucky] International Film Festival did come to Sedona after seeing the film.

“We hope that happens a lot more,” Stovall said.

The biggest compliment Stovall receives is “Sedona” is a feel-good movie about people rather than the special-effects films coming out of Hollywood lately.

“I’m hoping people come to watch it. Hollywood tends not to want to do movies like this because it’s not proved. We hope to prove people do want to see movies like this. We’re excited,” Stovall said.

He gave a hint there could be another Sedona film in the future.

“There are so many wonderful stories here, it’s likely,” Stovall said and smiled. “Obviously we’re concentrating on this film and making it a success — then we’ll see.”