In 2018, American missionary John Chau, age 26, traveled illegally to one of the most difficult-to-reach places on Earth– North Sentinel Island, in the Bay of Bengal– with the single-minded goal of converting one of the world’s most isolated populations to Christianity, despite knowing that trespassers risk being shot at with arrows. This misguided mission would quickly see him killed. Through voice-over readings of John’s journal entries and heart-wrenching observations from his grieving father, The Mission provides unique insight into the persistent dangers of religious fanaticism. Bolstered by beautifully imagined, animated reenactments and thoughtful selections of archival film footage, this intriguing documentary explores the troubling legacy of the romanticized colonial-era exploration narratives that inspired John’s mission. Highlights include interviews with historian Adam Goodheart and anthropologist T.N. Pandit– some of the few people to have seen North Sentinel Island up close– as well as darkly amusing anecdotes from linguist and former missionary Daniel Everett, who recounts losing his Christian faith to the Amazonian Pirahã tribe.
Series Media Partner
Media Partner
USA/India
2023
Insights
In English, Latin, Piraha, Hindi, Sarikoli and Onge with English subtitles
Nudity; violence; sexual language
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits
Executive Producer
Carolyn Bernstein, Doug Bock Clark
Producer
Jonathan Chinn, Simon Chinn, Jesse Moss, Amanda McBaine, Will Cohen
Cinematography
Thorsten Thielow
ANIM
Jason Carpenter
Editor
Aaron Wickenden
Directors
Jesse Moss & Amanda McBaine
Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss have been filmmaking partners for 20 years. They directed Boys State, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was released by Apple Original Films and A24. The film won the 2021 Primetime Emmy Award for Best Nonfiction Film and received DGA and Emmy nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement. Their previous film, The Overnighters, won the Special Jury Prize for Intuitive Filmmaking at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was distributed by Drafthouse Films and Netflix.
Jesse also directed The Family, a five-part series for Netflix, as well as the Payday episode of the Netflix series Dirty Money. Their recent film about Pete Buttigieg’s campaign for president, Mayor Pete, was released by Amazon Studios.
Filmography: The Overnighters (2014); Boys State (2020); Mayor Pete (2021)
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
At the Place of Ghosts
In this supernatural Indigenous thriller from the director of Wildhood, siblings Mise'l and Antle journey into Sk+te'kmujue'katik (the Place of Ghosts), a primordial forest that exists outside of time, to confront their violent upbringing.
Bushido
An impeccable samurai (and "Go" expert), Kakunoshin is framed for a crime and forced into exile. Years later he stumbles across the true reason for his fall from grace, and sets about exacting his revenge...
Miles Davis 100! Vince Mai Plays Miles Davis
Vancouver trumpet legend Vince Mai Vince Mai will be performing music from some of Miles Davis's most memorable 1950s albums, including Kind of Blue, Walkin', Relaxin' and more. After his live set, enjoy Stanley Nelson's definitive documentary.
Fiume o Morte!
The Croatian city of Rijeka rediscovers its own past in this delightfully unconventional hybrid documentary about Italian poet and proto-fascist Gabriele D’Annunzio, who seized the city known in Italian as Fiume in 1919.
Silent Friend
In this entrancing reverie from On Body and Soul director Ildikó Enyedi, we are invited to contemplate several human specimens from the vantage point of a mighty Ginkgo biloba tree on the grounds of a German university.