This LIFT activity of Sunday the 28th of September hosted about 30 people at the Multi-Purpose Room and this was the first indoor activity for its type after summer 08. The limelight of the event was entirely dedicated to the Film itself; 'The Mission'. This is a 1986 British film about the experiences of a Jesuit missionary in eighteenth century South America.
After the film a 30 minute discussion took place and many interesting points were put forward.
Something about the plot itself:
Jeremy Irons (Fr Gabriel) plays a Spanish Jesuit who goes into the South American wilderness to build a mission in the hope to bring Christianity to the natives. Fr Gabriel succeeds and brings a golden age among them. Robert DeNiro (Mendoza) plays a slave hunter who is converted and joins Fr Gabriel in his mission. When Spain sells the colony to Portugal, they are forced to defend all they have built against the Portugese aggressors. The church, under pressure, cedes the land to the Portuguese which will allow slavers in again. Mendoza breaks his vows and organizes the natives to resist while Gabriel warns him to help them as a priest.
A must see for every one…
Rarely does a film have all the elements in film making all come together so perfectly. A very powerful film and also comes with some exceptional music by Ennio Morricone. The Mission won a number of awards and still remains a landmark in its genre. The film is based on real events based on the Jesuit Missionaries of the 18th Century in South America. The film is all about the strength of actual believing and faith in God. Life is always about choices and way back to the 18th century many believers suffered for their faith. In actual fact in some ways this is still the case. There were many martyrs for their faith and The Mission brings this sad history in a very realistic way – based on what had happened this Film will make you realize that at the end it’s only the faith in God that truly makes up for all our sins.
‘So, your Holiness, now your priests are dead, and I am left alive. But in truth it is I who am dead, and they who live. For as always, your Holiness, the spirit of the dead will survive in the memory of the living’.
This quote is taken from some of the last lines of the Film. Ironically these are the words of the bishop himself (Altamirano).
LIFT invites you to continue the discussion on this blog by sending comments to this post and share your views about the film itself and this activity.
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2 comments:
This film is one of my very favourites. I don’t remember how old I was when I first saw this 1986 film but I remember clearly that I was struck right away. From there onwards I think I saw this film some 6 times or more. I am sure that I will be watching this film again someday in my unplanned future. This film depicts the real events that Jesuits had to face way back in the 18th century on their early missionaries in South America. One particular scene that makes me shiver each time I watch is the glorious Ave Maria Guarani sang by the angelical voices of the Guarani themselves during the visit of bishop Altamirano. Another powerful scene is the killing of Fr Gabriel while holding the holy bread of Jesus Christ in their peaceful procession and then the actual approach of one of the converted native to try and continue with the procession and holding the holy bread again. This scene is very powerful. I think this movie gives an empowerment of faith to all believers. The music throughout the movie plays a very important role as it often delivers the scene through the musical notes in a very emotive manner. Superb! This film is about action, faith, redemption, courage and most of all love. This is film is about our sins and our hypocrisy.
A very sad history of our Church that was also greatly awarded by the late Pope John Paul II while he himself pronounced Father Junipero Serra beatified (THE MISSION raised important questions relevant to the Serra sainthood campaign, in part because the histories of the Jesuits and Serra's Franciscans in the New World have been intertwined for more than two centuries, beginning with the events portrayed in the movie). For sure this Film is a must see for everyone.
This film is called THE MISSION. And I want to put some thoughts about our mission in life.
What is your MISSION in your life? You can be a missioner in your country, at home, in your workplace.
Your Mission is your life. You can teach Jesus by how you live. Your life is your Mission. Everyone has a Mission in his life. What is yours?
In the film, the Guarani are slaves and considered as animals. Do we Maltese appreciate our own freedom? We are not slaves. Do we appreciate this?
Regards
Pierre.
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