Documentary traces a 21st-century American evangelical\u2019s reckless efforts to convert an isolated tribe, and his fatal encounter with them<\/p>\n
One of the most isolated Indigenous people on Earth, the Sentinelese of India\u2019s North Sentinel Island remain a mystery to anthropologists. For evangelical Christian groups, however, these so-called \u201cunreached\u201d tribes represent a challenge \u2013 and a calling. Through illicit means, 26-year-old American missionary John Chau approached the island in 2018 with gifts and Bible verses. The Sentinelese responded with a hail of arrows, killing the young man. The incident made international headlines<\/a>, with Chau\u2019s death prompting a flurry of reactions ranging from claims of martyrdom to mocking memes. Diving into the heart of the puzzle, Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss\u2019s documentary strives to contextualise \u2013 and empathise \u2013 with Chau\u2019s gruesome end.<\/p>\n Read out by actors, excerpts from Chau\u2019s diary and a letter from Chau\u2019s father illuminate the circumstances that spurred his quest. Wholly immersed in a Christian and evangelical education, Chau was also transfixed by colonial adventure stories. His near decade-long preparation for the fatal journey includes him learning survival skills and getting training in emergency medicine. He even joined a missionary bootcamp where facilitators would act the roles of hostile tribespeople.<\/p>\n