1. Jesuit Missions in South America: The film depicts the efforts of Jesuit missionaries, specifically from the Society of Jesus, who established missions in South America during the 17th and 18th centuries. The Jesuits sought to convert indigenous peoples to Christianity and establish utopian communities focused on social justice and equality.
2. Father Gabriel: The character of Father Gabriel in the film is loosely based on the real-life Jesuit missionary Antonio Sepp. Sepp was a Tyrolean Jesuit who worked in the Jesuit reducción ("reduction") communities among the Guaraní people in present-day Paraguay and Argentina.
3. The Guaraní People: The film portrays the Guaraní people, an indigenous group inhabiting regions of South America, particularly Paraguay and surrounding areas. The Guaraní had close ties with the Jesuit missionaries and formed the majority of the population in the Jesuit reductions.
4. Encomienda System: The movie highlights the exploitative system known as encomienda, which was prevalent during the colonial period. Encomenderos, Spanish landowners, were granted control over indigenous communities, leading to forced labor, abuse, and oppression of the indigenous peoples.
5. Treaty of Madrid (1750): The film refers to the Treaty of Madrid, signed in 1750 between Spain and Portugal. As depicted in the movie, this treaty led to territorial disputes and conflicts between the Spanish and Portuguese colonies, affecting the Jesuit missions in the borderlands of South America.
6. Expulsion of the Jesuits: In 1767, the Spanish Crown expelled the Jesuits from their territories, including their missions in South America. The expulsion was driven by political, economic, and ideological reasons, leading to the destruction of many missions and significant disruption to indigenous communities.
While "The Mission" takes creative liberties and dramatizes events for cinematic purposes, it draws inspiration from historical accounts and explores themes related to colonialism, religious zeal, cultural clash, and the struggle for indigenous rights and autonomy.