Reed Cowan's “;8: The Mormon Proposition”; presents no new arguments for gay marriage. What it does offer is a behind-the-curtains look at the machinations in campaigning against it.

The film outlines the Mormon involvement in Proposition 8, the voter initiative that removed gay marriages from California's statute. Although hardly the only group responsible, the church's heavy funding made it a target.

Also, Cowan and narrator Dustin Lance Black (Oscar-winning screenwriter for Hollywood's “;Milk”;) both grew up gay and Mormon. There's a touch of the personal, notably in a brief but respectful aside into Mormon history and its beliefs.

The film trots out document after internal document of the church's plans to get Prop 8 passed, from training videos on how to bring up the issue casually, to orchestrated speeches calling followers a “;mighty army.”;

Once Prop 8 is passed, the film becomes less about the measure and more about the Mormon Church's actions in dealing with homosexuality. Sometimes the film loses focus and meanders into discussion of general homophobia in society.

Hawaii viewers will take an interest in how the Mormon Church orchestrated the island's battle for civil unions in the '90s. Former state Board of Education Chairwoman Debi Hartmann is described as a “;Mormon but not really known as such.”; The film describes Hartmann as a strategic pawn in keeping the church's involvement away from the public eye. Hartmann has since transformed into an ardent supporter of civil unions.

In the end, the film preaches to the choir, and little is learned for anyone who has been following the issue closely. But it's difficult to fault the film for its passion, especially in its personal stories. As a San Francisco city attorney says in the film, “;You're not just talking about the law; you're talking about people.”;

In humanizing the issue, “;8”; offers foundations for discussion on the need to be compassionate. On that basis the film is a winning proposition.