Faithful to the End: Powerful New Film Marks Ten Years after 21 Christians Martyred by ISIS

MINYA, Egypt – Ten years ago, ISIS terrorists marched 21 Christian men to their deaths on a Libyan beach. Their story of faith, sacrifice, and eternal hope is now being memorialized in a new animated film.

February, 2015. Twenty-one men stood on the edge of eternity. On a Mediterranean beach. Dressed in orange. Hands bound. They were given one choice: deny their faith or die. They chose death.

Nermien Riad, founder of the group, Coptic Orphans, who worked with orphans in the village where the men were from and later worked with the martyrs' families, recalled, "We heard about it as soon as it happened to basically once the video was broadcast, it spread like wildfire.” 

She added, "It was a declaration by the Islamic State to put fear in the heart, of the Coptic Church and the Coptic people, whom they considered their favorite prey.”

While the world saw their deaths, their families felt the loss of fathers, brothers, and sons.

Riad noted, "For the families, it was devastating. I don't think they even consider themselves martyrs. They just saw that their husbands had just been killed. Their fathers had just been killed. Their brothers had just been killed – and so the families mourned greatly.”

They were simple men, twenty Egyptians and one man from Ghana in Libya, working to support their families. Then they were captured by ISIS.

Mark Rodgers of More Productions, produced a documentary on their lives.

“I think for many people, we've seen (and) remember the images – at least the orange jumpsuits where the 21 were beheaded. And we know that they did not recant their faith. What we don't know is that that came only after weeks, if not even months, of torture and other efforts to get those 21 to recant of their faith.” 

Six years ago, on a trip to Egypt, Mark Rodgers learned about the 21 and decided to tell their story.

Bringing it to the screen proved to be a labor of faith and perseverance. The result is an animated film called "The 21."

Rodgers explained, “It took six years to make there, over 70 animators of over 20 countries that participated in the making. So it was really a global effort to support this community's own story, to elevate it, because, in some ways, it's all of our story as Christians.”

Mandi Hart of More Productions oversaw the making of the film.

“It was a real joy to have so many artists from literally around the world contribute," she stated.

"The 21" then made it to the Oscar shortlist for best-animated film.

Hart explained, “We always aimed to produce the film at a level of quality that it would be competitive at that level of the Oscars, but never had any real expectation that we would make it that far in the process  And out of 90 films, the 15 that were chosen, our film was one and God gets all the credit for that.  And it was just wonderful to have the film elevated in that way. It was never our primary goal, but I feel very blessed that that level of visibility in the industry allowed us to reach an audience we wouldn't have otherwise.”

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Unlike traditional documentaries, the film uses sacred Coptic imagery, turning the martyrs' final moments into a visual prayer of faith. 

Author Joel Rosenberg of All Israel News, observed, "It's very tastefully done, but it's also very evocative. It's the animation, using Egyptian iconography. This Egyptian Christian – specifically Christian – artwork. It makes it very, very interesting when these ISIS terrorists occasionally think they see Jesus or angels, and they're getting – there's like a spiritual warfare crackling in both directions.”

He added, "How do you, how would you depict that in a documentary?" You, you can't. So, there's something very, very moving. I'm still trying to catch my breath because – it's because I was crying at the end.”

Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus on "The Chosen," is an executive producer of "The 21."

He told CBN News the martyrdom of these 21 men transcended tragedy by becoming a testament of faith for persecuted Christians worldwide.

"I think I want people to be more aware of the sacrifices that so many Christians, give, especially in other parts of the world," Roumie said. "It's not – martyrdom is not something that is common in the Western world, but in the Middle East, in the Orient, and in places where there are legitimate and physical threats to people on a daily basis.” 

Roumie continued, "They just set an example for the rest of the world about what it means to  be a believer in Christ and to have your faith, mean everything.”

Riad explained, “They caught one guard, and, he was the one that explained all the details of what happened to them and how they were tortured, how they were caught, how they rehearsed the video two times before they marched him on the beach. They had the cameras rolling, and they prepared their filming. And then the third time was when they were beheaded.”

Rodgers described some of what the men endured. He said, "Tortures included being sprayed with cold water and not letting them sleep in the cold of winter, and included having them drag wet sand through the desert until they collapsed, and included burning them with irons – emotional torture, isolation. So all kinds of different tortures, physical and emotional.”

As the head of Coptic Orphans, Riad and her ministry were already working in the village of the 21 martyrs.

She told us, “We were working very closely with the church and with the bishop. And so now that there are new fatherless children, we were able to embrace them and enroll them into our programs so that we could walk with them. That journey, the journey of healing, the journey of support, both financial and emotional support.”

Riad now knows them as family.

"They are resilient. They are a joy," she said proudly. "You wouldn't think that you know. You would think that they were traumatized and still would be traumatized, but yet they have a peace. They have a joy that, in all honesty, (is) contagious. When you see when you see how much they know that Christ is with them, that Christ is the one who is giving them that peace, and they are thankful.”

Riad remembered, "I was sitting in the middle of all the widows when they were seeing (the film) for the very first time. And the comments of – I saw my beloved, I saw, you know, a mother almost reliving her sense with having lost her son.  But at the same time, she says, you have made it so we can lift our heads high. My beloved.” 

One of the martyrs' wives, Mariam Youssef Hanna Ibrahim, confided, "It was a very impactful film. But God gave us comfort, and we know that they testified to Christ, and God gave them a lot of strength as well.”

"You have to remember, she said, "these are young men and they're not very well-off. But look how strong their faith was. And you also have to remember that they didn't know how they were going to get back to Egypt. They didn't know anything in front of them, but all they knew is that God was with them."

“We're all sisters," she said. "We're one hand working together and we visit each other. We're not, like, separate. We're all one.”

Mariam Ezzat Boushra, another wife of one of the men, declared, “It was – I felt tearful and it really impacted me. But nevertheless, it was very beautiful.”

We asked her, "Do you forgive the men of ISIS?"

She replied, “Yes. Of course. Because they're the reason that these martyrs went to heaven in the first place.”

Roumie also spent time with the families.

"It was pretty intense and humbling," he recalled. "And their joy and their forgiveness for the killers is something that just defies human comprehension, and serves as an example for all of us as to how to live Christ's, you know, laws and rules and, and (the) ethos of, you know, turning the other cheek and forgiving your enemy.  And, praying for those who persecute you, that these women, and families are living that that out.”

Mariam Ezzat Boushra told us, “There are some people who say to us, wow, it's already been ten years. But for us, it's like we've been climbing a mountain ... We really feel like we missed them and it's, it's not we don't forget about that just because they're martyrs.  But of course, God is strengthening us and he's never left us.  I hope that in the same way that the story of the martyrs has been able to affect the whole world and impacted this film also will have an impact on the whole world. And the thing that touched me the most in this film is when we saw the feet of the martyrs walking alongside the feet of Christ.”

For the first time in history, both the Coptic Church and the Catholic Church recognize the 21 as saints.

Rodgers has three hopes for the film.

He told us, “One is a deeper understanding of our own Christian heritage in this region. A second – 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.  And just to kind of promote a freedom of religion that people can practice whatever they want to believe without persecution would be the third goal.”

The 21 doesn't just recount history, it invites viewers to reflect on what faith truly means when faced with death.

Hart stated, “We want the world to know and be inspired and challenged by this story. It's a very specific story, and yet it's also universal. And for us as a team, one of the things that we've had to ask ourselves constantly in light of this story is, what would I be willing to die for?  And I think that's an important question for every human being.”

Roumie observed, “The film poses a question that I think is worthy to each and every one of us that are followers of Christ: how would we respond to that call? What would we do in their shoes? And could we be as faithful? And I, you know, I find myself challenged by the question, and I pray the answer is yes.  And in my heart, it's yes. And I pray, you know I will go to my grave with the same confession of Jesus's name on my lips. and so that's the aspiration towards sainthood and to follow Christ and what it truly means to be a follower. But the question remains, like, could you do it?” 

Mariam Youssef Hanna Ibrahim concluded, "I would tell them, you should watch the video of the incident, and you should see how calm and peaceful these men are and how they're all together. They left no one behind. And let this be an inspiration for you.”

Rosenberg reflected, "I think we can learn a lot by learning for the courage of, in this case, 21 men, 20 Egyptians and one Ghanaian who loved Jesus so much that even though they were offered money and they were threatened and they were tortured, they said, 'The next person we're going to see is Jesus. So we're not going to betray him.'"

Rodgers told CBN News, “I think everybody who sees the film on the 10th anniversary, we hope and pray, will forward it to somebody else to watch it, including people that may not know Jesus," Rodgers said. "And I think the way I feel now is we've got something that we've produced that really can be shared and be effective in introducing people to Jesus.”

Riad from the orphanage shared, "Oh, I would love to see every single Christian around the world to watch this movie. It's it's inspirational. It gives us hope. And it shows us the power of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. So I, I'm praying that indeed, it will spread like wildfire.” 

The martyrs walked to their deaths.  Their final words were the name of Jesus. Now, ten years later, their testimony continues to inspire millions.

To watch The 21, go to www.the21film.com where you can see it there. The producers' hope is if you are moved as much as they were, you will want to share it to encourage others to watch it as well.