PRESS
For media inquiries, please contact:
kwandra AT carmelcommunications DOT com
Official Trailer
The official trailer for "American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story."
Official Poster
The official poster for "American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story."
Title Treatments
Production Stills Gallery
Synopsis
Short: “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story,” a feature-length documentary narrated by acclaimed actor Martin Sheen, tells the extraordinary true story of an American priest who was murdered for refusing to abandon his people. Born on a humble wheat farm in Oklahoma, Father Stanley Rother left behind an ordinary life to serve the Indigenous Tz’utujil people of Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala, during the country’s brutal civil war. Immersing himself completely in the life of the community, he learned their language, shared their suffering, helped translate the New Testament into Tz’utujil, and became a beloved spiritual father to the people he served. As violence and persecution closed in, Father Stan made a courageous choice: he would remain with his flock. Convinced that “the shepherd cannot run,” he returned to Guatemala knowing it could cost him his life. Only months later, masked gunmen entered his rectory and murdered him. Through powerful storytelling, moving testimonies and unforgettable historical footage, “American Martyr” reveals the witness of Blessed Stanley Rother — the first American-born priest recognized as a martyr by the Catholic Church — whose courage, sacrificial love, and unwavering faith continue to inspire audiences around the world.
Long: “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story,” a feature-length documentary narrated by acclaimed actor Martin Sheen, tells the extraordinary true story of an American priest who was murdered for refusing to abandon his people.
In the mountains of Guatemala, amid political violence and terror, Father Stanley Rother, a humble Oklahoma farm boy-turned-missionary priest, chose to remain with the Indigenous people he served even after his name appeared on a death list. Convinced that “the shepherd cannot run,” he returned to his parish knowing it could cost him his life.
Born and raised on a wheat farm in Okarche, Oklahoma, Father Stan seemed destined for an ordinary life. But after answering God’s call to the priesthood, he was sent to serve the Tz’utujil people of Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala, where he immersed himself completely in the life of the community. He learned their language, helped translate the New Testament into Tz’utujil, built schools and clinics, and became far more than a missionary — he became a beloved spiritual father.
As government death squads terrorized villages during the Guatemalan Civil War, Father Stan courageously defended the people entrusted to his care. Though he briefly returned home to Oklahoma, he knew he could not abandon his flock.
Only months after returning to Guatemala, masked gunmen entered the rectory of St. James Church in the middle of the night and murdered him.
In the aftermath of his death, the people he loved gathered together in grief and sang Easter hymns, proclaiming their faith in the Resurrection, even in the face of tragedy. His body was returned to Oklahoma but his heart remained with his people.
Through powerful storytelling, moving testimonies and unforgettable historical footage, “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story” reveals the witness of Blessed Stanley Rother, the first American-born priest recognized as a martyr by the Catholic Church, whose courage, sacrificial love, and unwavering fidelity to Christ continue to inspire audiences around the world.
His life stands as a profound reminder that holiness is not confined to the distant past — and that true faith sometimes demands everything.
Who was Blessed Stanley Rother?
Blessed Stanley Francis Rother — the first American-born priest recognized as a martyr by the Catholic Church — was a priest, missionary and martyr from the small farm town of Okarche, Oklahoma.