{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox film | name = Beyond the Gates of Splendor | image = Beyond the Gates of Splendor FilmPoster.jpeg | caption = | director = Jim Hanon | producer = Brent Ryan Green<br>Mart Green<br>Kevin McAfee | writer = Jim Hanon | narrator = Steve Saint | starring = Mincaye<br>Elisabeth Elliot<br>Frank Drown<br>Steve Saint | music = Ronald Owen | cinematography = Robert Fraisse | editing = Miles Hanon | distributor = Every Tribe Entertainment | released = {{Film date|2002|09|27}} | runtime = 96 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = | gross = $36,412<br>(US box office total) }} '''''Beyond the Gates of Splendor''''' (also '''''Beyond the Gates''''') is a 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.

==Inspiration== The title of the film references Elisabeth Elliot's 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 Indigenous people.

''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''.

==Filming== The film was shot on location in Ecuador; 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.

===Interviewees=== The Five Widows: * Marj Saint Van Der Puy, widow of Nate Saint * Barbara Youderian, widow of Roger Youderian * Olive Fleming Liefeld, widow of Pete Fleming * Marilou McCully, widow of Ed McCully * Elisabeth Elliot Gren, widow of Jim Elliot

The Saint Family: * Steve Saint, 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 Arajuno * Mincaye * Kimo * Ompodae * Dayuma * Paa * Dawa * Tementa

Others: * Dave Howard, brother of Elisabeth Elliot * Frank Drown, missionary colleague of Roger Youderian and member of the search party, part Avant Ministries (formerly Gospel Missionary Union) * Col. Malcolm Nurnberg, leader of the search party * Clayton Robarchek, anthropologist * Carole Robarchek, anthropologist * Valerie Elliot Shepard, daughter of Jim Elliot

==Awards== The film won the Crystal Heart Award at the Heartland Film Festival in 2002. It also won the Audience Award at the Palm Beach International Film Festival in 2004 for Best Documentary Feature.

==References== {{reflist}} {{cite web|last1=Guthrie|first1=Stan|title=Review: Beyond the Gates of Splendor|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/januaryweb-only/beyondthegates.html|website=Christianity Today|date=January 2005 |publisher=January 1, 2005|accessdate=15 February 2015}}

==External links== * {{IMDb title|0337868}}

{{Operation Auca}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beyond The Gates Of Splendor}} Category:2002 films Category:American documentary films Category:Films about hunter-gatherers Category:Operation Auca Category:Documentary films about Christianity Category:2002 documentary films Category:Films produced by Brent Ryan Green Category:Films shot in Ecuador Category:Films shot in Florida Category:Films shot in Illinois Category:Films shot in Seattle Category:2002 English-language films Category:Films directed by Jim Hanon Category:2002 American films Category:English-language documentary films