Sweeping and visually resplendent, The Mission is a powerful action epic about a man of the sword (Robert De Niro) and a man of the cloth (Jeremy Irons) who unite to shield a South American Indian tribe from brutal subjugation by 18th-century colonial empires. It reunites key talents behind The Killing Fields: co-producer David Puttnam, director Roland Joffe and cinematographer Chris Menges. Winner of the 1986 Cannes Film Festival Best Picture Award, the film earned seven Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture) and won a Best Cinematography Oscar . Robert Bolt's thoughtful screenplay and Ennio Morricone's rich score won Golden Globe Awards. The Mission is screen storytelling that weaves a haunting spell. - Spanish slave trader joins Jesuit in 1750 South America.