‘The Mission’ Directors Said NatGeo Was ‘Not Afraid’ of Their Documentary Examining the Company’s History of Exoticizing Foreign Cultures

Four years ago, an American man named John Chau, 26, was fatally shot with arrows while attempting to make contact with an indigenous island tribe. His goal was to convert them to Christianity.

“Boys State” directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss unpack his complex story – and the complex history of National Geographic, which produced the movie through its NatGeo Documentary Films platform. The film, which includes vivid and sophisticated animated sequences, is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.

TheWrap: What was your reaction when you read the news stories about the death of John Chau on North Sentinel Island?

Amanda McBaine: The news story felt like a throwback to another era.