In the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, a battle unfolds, one that pits Indigenous guardians against the relentless forces of deforestation. We Are Guardians, directed by Indigenous activist Edivan Guajajara, and environmental filmmakers Chelsea Greene, and Rob Grobman, offers an intimate, vérité-style exploration of this struggle. The documentary follows Indigenous forest protectors like Marçal Guajajara and activist Puyr Tembé as they risk their lives to fend off illegal loggers and land invaders, highlighting the complex intersections of politics, history, economics, and science in one of the world’s most vital ecosystems.
Executive produced by Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio, the documentary opens June 6th in LA, July 11 in NY, followed by a nationwide 50+ city theatrical screening tour and impact campaign this Summer.
We Are Guardians follows the Indigenous forest protectors of the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest – as they risk their lives to fend off illegal loggers and land invaders.
In the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, thousands of people are unlawfully encroaching upon protected lands, devastating centuries-old trees for export and exploiting rare resources. It’s a critical issue that impacts us all. Enter Indigenous Brazilian forest guardian Marçal Guajajara and impassioned activist Puyr Tembé. They stand as unwavering sentinels, fighting tirelessly to shield their home from the relentless march of deforestation. Alongside them, we encounter an illegal logger, trapped in a desperate struggle to make ends meet, who sees no alternative means of survival, and a determined landowner, committed to preserving the rich ecosystem within his property, relentlessly seeking answers from local authorities, yet met with silence. Through this tapestry of perspectives, we see the economic connections to markets that link goods derived in the Amazon region to consumers around the world.
Critical reception of We Are Guardians has been overwhelmingly positive, with POV Magazine review saying, “This doc not only explores the ongoing threat to Indigenous ways of life but also successfully highlights how the deforestation within Brazil has already affected the worldwide climate crisis. To the film’s credit, there’s nothing didactic here: the filmmakers display a loving, caring approach that invites others to pay attention and join in the struggle.”
Watch the official trailer for We Are Guardians.