Based
on a true story, "End of the Spear" is a film
about Waodani tribesmen from the jungles of Ecuador and
five young missionaries who travel there.
In
1956, two of the missionaries are speared to death by the
Waodani, causing a series of events that changes the lives
of both the slain missionaries' families and the Waodani.
Handsome
out actor Chad Allen, who plays Steve Saint in the film,
shares his impressions with PlanetOut about filming in the
Ecuadorian jungle, monkey hunting and the unbridled joy
of Waodani children.
That
is a photo of me as Steve Saint, whom I play in the film.
Steve has spent much of his life living with and helping
the Waodani to become self-sufficient.
The
Waodani, long known as the Aucas, or naked savages, were
once the most feared killers in the jungles. Today their
entire community is under threat from oil companies and
politicians who would take advantage of them in exchange
for land and mineral rights.
In
this photo, we are cutting a path in the jungle to reach
a great waterfall five miles away. We also used the hike
time to collect large leaves with which we thatched the
roof of our sleeping hut. The Wao introduced us to lots
of tasty snacks to pick from local trees along the way.
