Beyond the Gates of Splendor
Encyclopedia
Beyond the Gates of Splendor (also Beyond the Gates) is a feature-length documentary film
that was released in 2004. It chronicles the events leading up to and following Operation Auca
, an attempt to contact the Huaorani
tribe of Ecuador
in which five American
missionaries were killed. The film was produced by Bearing Fruit Productions and distributed by Every Tribe Entertainment.
1957 bestseller, Through Gates of Splendor
. First published in 1957, the book told the original story of the five martyred missionaries. A low budget documentary film was also produced with the same name in 1967
. One year after Gates was published, the first successful peaceful contact with the Huaorani tribe was made. In the years that followed, many Huaos were converted to Christianity and changed their lifestyle. Therefore, Beyond the Gates recounts the unfolding story up unto the present day. The film also included new information that has since come out about the Palm Beach Massacre through communication with the Indians.
Beyond the Gates was very influential in the production of the drama film End of the Spear
, which was released four years later. Many of the same events recounted by the Huaorani interviewees in Beyond the Gates were depicted dramatically in End of the Spear.
, Ocala, Florida
, Seattle, Washington, and at Wheaton College
. There were also interviews from all five widows (two years before both Marilou McCully and Marj Saint died), members of the search party and members of the Huaorani tribe.
The crew spent 17 days in the jungle to interview members of the Huaorani tribe.
The Saint Family:
Indians:
Others:
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
that was released in 2004. It chronicles the events leading up to and following Operation Auca
Operation Auca
Operation Auca was an attempt by five Evangelical Christian missionaries from the United States to bring the gospel to the Huaorani people of the rainforest of Ecuador...
, an attempt to contact the Huaorani
Huaorani
The Huaorani, Waorani or Waodani, also known as the Waos, are native Amerindians from the Amazonian Region of Ecuador who have marked differences from other ethnic groups from Ecuador. The alternate name Auca is a pejorative exonym used by the neighboring Quechua Indians, and commonly adopted by...
tribe of Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
in which five American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
missionaries were killed. The film was produced by Bearing Fruit Productions and distributed by Every Tribe Entertainment.
Inspiration
The title of the film references Elisabeth Elliot'sElisabeth Elliot
Elisabeth Elliot is a Christian author and speaker. Her first husband, Jim Elliot, was killed in 1956 while attempting to make missionary contact with the Auca of eastern Ecuador. She later spent two years as a missionary to the tribe members who killed her husband...
1957 bestseller, Through Gates of Splendor
Through Gates of Splendor
Through Gates of Splendor is a 1957 best selling book written by Elisabeth Elliot. The book tells the story of Operation Auca, an attempt by five American missionaries - Jim Elliot , Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, and Roger Youderian - to reach the Huaorani tribe of eastern Ecuador. All five...
. First published in 1957, the book told the original story of the five martyred missionaries. A low budget documentary film was also produced with the same name in 1967
1967 in film
The year 1967 in film involved some significant events. It is widely considered as one of the most ground-breaking years in film.-Events:* December 26 - The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour airs on British television....
. One year after Gates was published, the first successful peaceful contact with the Huaorani tribe was made. In the years that followed, many Huaos were converted to Christianity and changed their lifestyle. Therefore, Beyond the Gates recounts the unfolding story up unto the present day. The film also included new information that has since come out about the Palm Beach Massacre through communication with the Indians.
Beyond the Gates was very influential in the production of the drama film End of the Spear
End of the Spear
End of the Spear is a 2006 docudrama film that recounts the story of Operation Auca, in which five American Christian missionaries attempted to evangelize the Huaorani people of the jungle of Ecuador...
, which was released four years later. Many of the same events recounted by the Huaorani interviewees in Beyond the Gates were depicted dramatically in End of the Spear.
Filming
The film was shot on location in EcuadorEcuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, Ocala, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
, Seattle, Washington, and at Wheaton College
Wheaton College (Illinois)
Wheaton College is a private, evangelical Protestant liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago in the United States...
. There were also interviews from all five widows (two years before both Marilou McCully and Marj Saint died), members of the search party and members of the Huaorani tribe.
The crew spent 17 days in the jungle to interview members of the Huaorani tribe.
Interviewees
The Five Widows:- Marj Saint Van Der Puy, widow of Nate SaintNate SaintNathanael "Nate" Saint was an evangelical Christian missionary pilot to Ecuador who, along with four others, was killed while attempting to evangelize the Waodani people through efforts known as Operation Auca....
- Barbara Youderian, widow of Roger YouderianRoger YouderianRoger Youderian was an Armenian-American evangelical Christian missionary to Ecuador who, along with four others, was killed while attempting to evangelize the Huaorani people through efforts known as Operation Auca....
- Olive Fleming Liefeld, widow of Pete FlemingPete FlemingPeter Sillence Fleming was an evangelical Christian who was one of five missionaries killed while participating in Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the Waodani people of Ecuador.- Early life :Fleming was born in Seattle, Washington...
- Marilou McCully, widow of Ed McCullyEd McCullyEdward "Ed" McCully was an evangelical Christian missionary to Ecuador who, along with four other missionaries, was killed while attempting to evangelize the Huaorani people, through efforts known as Operation Auca.-Early years:...
- Elisabeth Elliot GrenElisabeth ElliotElisabeth Elliot is a Christian author and speaker. Her first husband, Jim Elliot, was killed in 1956 while attempting to make missionary contact with the Auca of eastern Ecuador. She later spent two years as a missionary to the tribe members who killed her husband...
, widow of Jim ElliotJim ElliotPhilip James Elliot was an evangelical Christian who was one of five missionaries killed while participating in Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the Waodani people of Ecuador.-Early life:...
The Saint Family:
- Steve SaintSteve SaintStephen Farris Saint is an Ecuadorian-born business entrepreneur, pilot, and author. He is known for being the son of Nate Saint, a famous missionary pilot, as well as for his own work among indigenous tribes.-Early life:...
, son of Nate Saint - Kathy Saint Drown, daughter of Nate Saint
- Rachel Saint, sister of Nate Saint
- Jesse Saint, son of Steve Saint
- Jaime Saint, son of Steve Saint
- Ginny Saint, wife of Steve Saint
Indians:
- Carmela, a Quechua Indian who lived in ArajunoArajunoArajuno is a jungle community in the Ecuadorian rainforest. It is also a Canton in the Pastaza Province. It is located on the Arajuno River, a tributary of the Curaray. The area is inhabited by Quechua Indians....
- MincayeMincayeMincaye Enquedi is a Huao Ecuadorian preacher and church elder. In 1956, he took part in the now infamous attack on five missionaries during Operation Auca...
- Kimo
- Ompodae
- DayumaDayumaDayuma is a member of the Huaorani tribe and a citizen of Ecuador. She is a central figure in the Operation Auca saga, in that she was the first Huao convert to Christianity, as well as the missionaries' key to unlocking the Huaorani language, a language that had not been previously studied...
- Paa
- Dawa
- Tementa
Others:
- Dave Howard, brother of Elisabeth Elliot
- Frank DrownFrank DrownFrank Drown is an American author and former missionary. He and his wife Marie were missionaries with Gospel Missionary Union and worked for 37 years with the Jivaro Indians of eastern Ecuador, who were known for their head shrinking....
, missionary colleague of Roger Youderian and member of the search party - Col. Malcolm Nurnberg, leader of the search party
- Clayton Robarchek, anthropologist
- Carole Robarchek, anthropologist
- Valerie Elliot Shepard, daughter of Jim Elliot