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Audio Described Version: We Are Guardians

Documentary 1h 22m 2023

US Digital Premiere

For info about our in person screenings, please go to ff.hrw.org/newyork

Thousands of people are illegally setting up camp on protected land in the Brazilian Amazon, killing centuries-old trees for export and mining rare resources. Directed by Indigenous activist Edivan Guajajara and environmental filmmakers Chelsea Greene and Rob Grobman, We Are Guardians artfully shares the stories of the people impacted by this issue. We meet Indigenous Brazilian forest guardian Marçal Guajajara and activist Puyr Tembé who are fighting to protect their home from deforestation; an illegal logger struggling to make ends meet who feels he has no other financial choice to survive; and a landowner who is dedicated to preserving the rich ecosystem within his land by relentlessly seeking action from local authorities, with no answers. Folding insight into the economic drivers behind the continued deforestation, this films’ beauty lies in its intimate, character-focused storytelling, providing a human entry-point into a critical situation that ultimately impacts us all.

We Are Guardians is a poignant portrayal of the diverse group of people on the front line of efforts to save the Brazilian Amazon. The filmmakers expertly dissect the economic drivers that fuel large-scale environmental destruction, while exposing the corruption and partisan politics that enable it. A loud call to action.” – Luciana Téllez Chávez, researcher, Environment and Human Rights Division, Human Rights Watch

Content Advisory This film contains images of dead bodies, threatening and offensive language, animal cruelty, and mass action in crowded areas.

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Director

Edivan Guajajara

Director

Chelsea Greene

Director

Rob Grobman

Producer

Fisher Stevens

Producer

Maura Anderson

Producer

Chelsea Greene

Producer

Zak Kilberg

Languages

Portuguese, Tupi, English

Countries

Brazil, United States