A young French priest is sent, first to Quebec City (village) and then inland to a mission to the Hurons. His journey with his Algonquin paddlers and guides, his travail, and his faith all run up against the cruelty of the cultures he visits, their mutual hatred, their openness to sexuality, and his own obstinate nature and guilt. A nice look at the differences and similarities between Native American and European cultures. No one is spared director Bruce Beresford’s honest presentation. All are wanting. Is he improving lives?. Probably not. So why is he doing it?. Belief and faith. European technology is balanced by religious superstition and the well adapted knowledge and technology of the native peoples. No one is superior to anyone else here except, perhaps, the Algonquin chief who agrees to lead him to the mission.