It was a full house Friday as hundreds screened a new film at the University of Calgary about the influence that extremists have over some young people around the world.

Many have been looking for answers about how Westerners can be seduced into following a radical form of Islam.

Tug of War tells the fictional account of two young Muslims and the events and circumstances leading them down a path of radicalization.

One of the filmmakers, who also stars in the production, says the intent of the film is to start a conversation.

Tug of War filmmaker and star Boonaa Mohammed says the new film is about a fictionalized account of two youth who are drawn to a radical form of Islam. (CBC)

"A dialogue in the community to discuss some of the issues … and the efforts of countering radicalized young people falling into this trap," Boonaa Mohammed said.

About 300 attended the Calgary screening and the film moves to Edmonton Saturday.

RCMP officers participated as part of their community outreach program and Calgary police outlined their Redirect program, which aims to counter extremism.

Mohammed says by asking the right questions, he hopes it's possible to address the problem before it happens.

"What can we do as a community to help prevent this issue and what are some of the internal factors that might cause someone to be exposed to radicalized Islam," he said.