madness'' will be shown to more than 1,000 travel agents over the next few weeks.

And the 17-minute presentation, called "Bermuda In Your Life'', is expected to attract thousands of visitors from the US, Canada, and the UK.

Using the Beatles' classic composition "In My Life'' and former M*A*S*H star David Ogden Stiers as the narrator, Tourism's communications manager Ms Wendy Davis said the department had baby boomers -- who make up the majority of the tourism market -- in mind.

But she said they did not want a traditional travel log.

"We really wanted to get into the heart of this Island and its people,'' she said at the television debut of the film on Tourism In Focus on Monday night.

The Tourism Department, therefore, put out bids for the film.

And The Partners Film Company, which is based in Toronto, was chosen.

Ms Davis said it was easy to find talented Bermudians to cast in the film.

Students of the Menuhin Foundation Senior Music Centre and vocalists including June Ventzos, Victor Chambray, LeYoni Junos, Gita Blakeney, and the gospel group Rejoice appear in the film.

Bermuda is portrayed by scenes and Mr. Stiers' narration as "arguably the most civilised place on earth''.

He highlighted those things unique to the Island, including Bermuda shorts, its architecture, and its "kind and giving people''.

Mr. Stiers also noted that the Island is "a paradise that is easy to get to''.

"It is only a seven-hour flight from London, two-and-a-half hours from Toronto, and less than two hours away from most cities on the US Eastern seaboard.'' Tourism's mid-Atlantic regional sales manager Mr. Richard Eve said he believed the film was the next best thing to having travel agents see the Island for themselves.

He said the film will be shown over the next five to six weeks to more than 1,000 travel agents.

"This will be a wonderful promotion for the Island for the upcoming season.''