We Are Guardians
by Edivan dos Santos Guajajara & Chelsea Greene, Rob Grobman
A dramatic and energetic journey into the daring struggle of Indigenous land-defenders in the Brazilian Amazon that connects ecological balance with environmental activism.
2023 · 1h22m · United States
English, Portuguese, Tupi
English subs
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About the Film
We Are Guardians is a rich, intimate journey meeting the many people who are living an intricate daily balance in the Amazon basin, one of the world’s most disrupted and threatened regions. We follow Indigenous leader and activist Puyr Tembé and forest guardian Marçal Guajajara as they fight to protect their territories from deforestation, as well as an illegal logger who has no choice but to cut the forest down to feed his family, and a large landowner at the mercy of thousands of invaders and extractive industry. Through intimate, character focused storytelling, the film reveals the many intertwined social and economic issues driving this complicated landscape.
But We Are Guardians takes us further, beyond the beautiful rainforest of the Amazon basin, to understand how it is inextricably connected to the entire planet. We explore the science of this incredible world treasure and its critical role in stabilizing our global climate. We see the economic connections to Western free markets that link goods derived in the Amazon region to Western consumers. Most importantly, we experience our own role in this delicate balance that plays out daily before our eyes, and learn from the wisdom of Indigenous cultures who remind us that we are — all of us — guardians.
Upcoming Screenings
About the Director
Chelsea Greene, Rob Grobman
One Forest was formed with the mission to help people reconnect to themselves and to nature. Comprised of filmmakers Chelsea Greene and Rob Grobman, One Forest is dedicated to creating impactful and heartfelt films and media. They view the art of storytelling as a sacred work, which endows their stories with a deep reverence for the earth and the characters they feature. They have recently produced two award winning short documentaries, BORNEO’S VANISHING TRIBES and GORILLA GIRL. Their commitment to authentic, integral and informative stories paired with their youth, ambition and drive as individuals, make this unique duo and their work exceptional, relevant and inspiring. One Forest lives and works in the mountains of Southern Oregon.
Edivan dos Santos Guajajara
Edivan Guajajara is from the Zutiwa village, located in Arariboia Indigenous Land (Maranhão, Brazil) and one of the creators of the communication network Mídia Índia. As an activist & filmmaker, he creates photography and documentaries centering indigenous peoples’ perspectives, showcasing their struggle of land protection and defense of Mother Earth. As a designer and video editor, he uses his gift to create art pieces that give visibility to the ongoing fight of the Brazilian indigenous peoples, a people who have resisted for 521 years.