Costly Death

​Included in the short list of animated films up for an Academy Award is a thirteen-minute film called "The 21." It was put on the Internet for free screening on February 14 - 17, 2025 as a way to honor those who were martyred by ISIS ten years ago. After I viewed the production, I wanted to learn more about the cinematic approach to telling this story.
 
Producer of faith-based Hollywood films, Mark Rodgers, desired to create a film with three objectives: (1) Those who view the film would have "a deeper understanding of our own Christian heritage in this region." (2) "It would be wonderful to see this film be promoted widely so that people inside the Church can see the courage and the faith of the martyrs and be encouraged in their own faith." (3) It is hoped that the film would "promote a freedom of religion that people can practice whatever they want to believe without persecution." He and his team also desired to produce a truthful account of the events from the time the Coptic Christians were captured until they were martyred on a beach in Libya that would counter the propaganda video produced by ISIS.
 
Because of the gruesome nature of the story, Mark Rodgers and his partner Mandi Hart did not think a typical documentary would be appropriate. Through prayer, God gave Mark an idea to make a short, animated film. The animation is done using Egyptian iconography; iconography being the use of visual images, figures, or symbols to represent certain action or objects. One of the benefits to using this type of animation is that its producers could project the spiritual images of angels and Jesus that ISIS terrorists saw intermixed with their captives. It says on the film's website (the21film.com) that seventy artists and animators from over twenty-four countries worked on the film. 
 
The word Copt is an ancient Greek word meaning Egyptian. Copts declare John Mark, author of the Gospel of Mark, as their founder and first bishop sometime between AD 42 and AD 62. They tend to emphasize meritorious works in salvation along with liturgical rituals rather than salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus. They believe that Jesus is God Himself, the Incarnate Word. Copts are the largest Christian denomination in Egypt and the Middle East.
 
When ISIS began their reign of terror their goal was to cleanse North Africa of Christians. In December 2014, they captured twenty-one Copts and placed them in an underground prison. Initially they were offered money to deny their faith. When this did not happen, ISIS began torturing them by making them pull heavy bags of wet sand down the beach. If they fell, they were beaten. Cold water was poured on them regularly so that they could not sleep, and their skin was cut with sharp knives. Their methods of torture only drew the men closer together, and they prayed, "Lord have mercy." When they did this the earth shook, and the terrorists were fearful. Every Copt was fitted with an orange jump suit and marched down the beach. It is reported that the terrorists saw angelic figures with the men and that the sky seemed to change color. One by one every Coptic Christian refused to deny Christ, and one by one they were beheaded.
 
Psalm 116:15 says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants." The Passion Translation says it this way: "When one of God's holy lovers dies, it is costly to the Lord, touching His heart." We know that God's heart was touched on this costly day. Pray that the death of these men will not be in vain and that the film will impact many. May we be faithful witnesses to the unbelieving individuals around us and never be tempted to deny our Lord no matter what the consequences.