The Mission

"There's a fine line between faith and madness."

2023 1h 43m EN

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 27

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

American Christian missionary John Chau was murdered when he tried to illegally contact and convert some of the world’s last uncontacted indigenous people. Through exclusive interviews and archival footage of John’s journey, THE MISSION explores themes that strike deep at the heart of religion, colonialism, and anthropology, questioning where we draw the line between faith and fanaticism, exploration and exploitation, imagination and destruction.

“There's a fine line between faith and madness.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Disney PlusSubscription

Cast

Pam Arlund
Self
Dan Davis
Self
Levi Davis
Self
Daniel Everett
Self
Lawrence Kao
John Chau (voice)
David Shih
Patrick Chau (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jesse Moss
Writers: Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss
Languages: English, Hindi, Latin
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Hindi, Latin.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jesse Moss, shot by Thorsten Thielow. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Danny Bensi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Aaron Wickenden shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Pam Arlund and Dan Davis and Levi Davis carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "There's a fine line between faith and madness.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jesse Moss directs. Thorsten Thielow behind the camera. Danny Bensi scores. Aaron Wickenden cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, Hindi, Latin.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 3 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Hindi, Latin.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Jesse Moss, shot by Thorsten Thielow. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Danny Bensi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Aaron Wickenden shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Pam Arlund and Dan Davis and Levi Davis carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "There's a fine line between faith and madness.".
9IMDB entry: tt28097834 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 27 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
11Classified under 10 themes, including "christianity", "based on true story", "india", "evangelical christianity".

The technical file

Cinematography: Thorsten Thielow
Original score: Danny Bensi
Editing: Aaron Wickenden
Stunt coordinator: Tim Gilbert
Runtime: 103 min · 1h 43m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: The Mission (2023)

Also by

Jesse Moss

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Brent Marchant2023-12-13
★ 9/10
Is religious missionary work an act of altruism or arrogance? Does it represent a quest for the fulfillment of one’s spiritual potential or a euphemistic cover for an inflated sociopathic ego? And, in either case, is it even possible to distinguish the two? Those are legitimate questions in the case of 26-year-old fundamentalist Christian missionary John Chau, who disappeared and was presumed dead in 2018 while attempting to spread the word of Jesus to the reclusive indigenous residents of North Sentinel Island, an Indian protectorate in the Bay of Bengal. The locale, one of the world’s most difficult destinations to reach and one that’s strictly off limits to outsiders, is home to an obscure, little-known tribe with a reputation for being mistrusting of and unwelcoming to strangers. Yet Chau was convinced that it was his destiny to convert them to Christianity no matter what, even at the cost of his life, a concern that worried his family, friends and seasoned missionaries who had attempted comparable initiatives with native people in other parts of the world. It was an effort that raised questions about Chau’s motivations: Was he a committed religious zealot who truly wanted to spread the word of Christ, or was he suffering from a maniacal Messiah Complex hell-bent on testing the limits of his courage, hubris and personal capabilities? Directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss seek to answer these and other thorny questions about this enigmatic individual whose real intents may never really be known, leaving lingering doubts and pain about his mission in the minds of those who knew him. Thanks to unprecedented access to Chau’s kindreds, as well as his recovered diaries, the filmmakers tell a captivating tale about his experience, along with thought-provoking ethical examinations about the nature and propriety of missionary work in connection with indigenous societies. Should it continue? Is it appropriate for Westerners and devout Christians to interfere in the spiritual lives of those who adhere to alternate viewpoints? Indeed, are these people genuinely in need of being “fixed,” regardless of the alleged nobility behind the intentions of those seeking to carry out these transformations? “The Mission” offers viewers a delicately balanced view of these notions, prompting even the most dedicated disciples of this work to step back and take a new look at what they and their peers are carrying out. It also presents an eye-opening discussion of this subject, encouraging us to ask ourselves, how much is too much when it comes to missionary work, regardless of the religion involved? And when is it appropriate to leave things as they are for those who already appear to be happy and contented in their lives and beliefs? There’s a lot on the line in this Critics Choice Documentary Award nominee, and, in light of the nature of its story, that’s something we must never lose sight of.

Production companies