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Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'We Are Guardians' is a window into on-the-ground efforts to save the Amazon rainforest
It's easy to forget sometimes that, alongside everything else that's crowding your news brain right now, deforestation in the Amazon is still a massive crisis for the planet, one that is fast reaching a point of no return regarding our ability to curtail its terrible impact. Movies love superheroes that take on their villains with big-stage swagger. But documentaries thrive on underdogs and when it comes to standing up to the illegal logging and mining that's flattening South America's leafy canopy, Indigenous people have more than shown their mettle against buzzing chainsaws or buzzy politicians. The energetic dispatch 'We Are Guardians' from directors Edivan Guajajara, Chelsea Greene and Rob Grobman, is the latest advocacy feature to bring cameras into the Amazon to juxtapose beauty and devastation — as well as a David vs. Goliath battle as it's experienced on the ground. We meet soft-spoken family man Marҫal, from the Indigenous territory of Arariboia, whose decades-old group of organized, unpaid, weapons-trained and face-painted 'forest guardians' take the fight directly to loggers, wherever they can sneak up on them, at great risk to their lives. (Their foes are armed too.) Though Marçal speaks eloquently of his holistic view of their mission — he's protecting the water, the trees and the region's wildlife — he also shows concern that the Amazon's uncontacted peoples stay free of interference too. Read more: The 27 best movie theaters in Los Angeles Meanwhile, activist Puyr Tembé from the Alto Rio Guama territory is working hard to get more Indigenous women into politics and in seats of power — a tall order at a time (filming mostly took place between 2019 and 2022) when rapaciously pro-agribusiness Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro openly treated the rights of Indigenous peoples as dismissable and a nuisance. As Tembé articulates, it takes a reforesting of the mind and heart to catalyze progress. These dedicated warriors certainly earn our admiration in the good/evil binary of the conflict, but complications help give the documentary shape, as in the attention given a crusty logger named Valdir, who agreed to be featured on camera. A logger for over 50 years since he was 8, he knows exactly what's wrong with his job, but is trapped in the maw of an industry as a means of survival for his family. Even a wealthy landowner can come off like a victim here, as is the case with Tadeu, a businessman who in the 1990s started an ecological sanctuary on his 28,000 hectares, and whose complaints to the Brazilian government about illegal encroachment on his land fall on deaf ears. There's a comprehensiveness to how 'We Are Guardians' lays out a big, knotty problem of environment, politics, geography and business — internationalized yet hyper-local — while spotlighting the Indigenous push-back efforts. But the movie's verité style of thumbnail portraiture doesn't always dovetail neatly with the other elements: the unloading of facts, getting those drone shots in and projecting a thriller-like atmosphere. Coming on the heels of the aesthetically sharp and immersive 'The Territory' from a couple years ago (which covers some of the same ground), 'We Are Guardians' feels more like a highlighting of issues than a documentary journey that takes you somewhere. But sometimes, it's whatever gets out the message, right? When it comes to climate change, our media diet is starved. So if you need that refresher course in the importance of saving the Amazon, 'We Are Guardians,' like a well-made pamphlet, does the job with plenty of efficiency and heat. Sign up for Indie Focus, a weekly newsletter about movies and what's going on in the wild world of cinema. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘We Are Guardians' is a window into on-the-ground efforts to save the Amazon rainforest
It's easy to forget sometimes that, alongside everything else that's crowding your news brain right now, deforestation in the Amazon is still a massive crisis for the planet, one that is fast reaching a point of no return regarding our ability to curtail its terrible impact. Movies love superheroes that take on their villains with big-stage swagger. But documentaries thrive on underdogs and when it comes to standing up to the illegal logging and mining that's flattening South America's leafy canopy, Indigenous people have more than shown their mettle against buzzing chainsaws or buzzy politicians. The energetic dispatch 'We Are Guardians' from directors Edivan Guajajara, Chelsea Greene and Rob Grobman, is the latest advocacy feature to bring cameras into the Amazon to juxtapose beauty and devastation — as well as a David vs. Goliath battle as it's experienced on the ground. We meet soft-spoken family man Marҫal, from the Indigenous territory of Arariboia, whose decades-old group of organized, unpaid, weapons-trained and face-painted 'forest guardians' take the fight directly to loggers, wherever they can sneak up on them, at great risk to their lives. (Their foes are armed too.) Though Marçal speaks eloquently of his holistic view of their mission — he's protecting the water, the trees and the region's wildlife — he also shows concern that the Amazon's uncontacted peoples stay free of interference too. Meanwhile, activist Puyr Tembé from the Alto Rio Guama territory is working hard to get more Indigenous women into politics and in seats of power — a tall order at a time (filming mostly took place between 2019 and 2022) when rapaciously pro-agribusiness Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro openly treated the rights of Indigenous peoples as dismissable and a nuisance. As Tembé articulates, it takes a reforesting of the mind and heart to catalyze progress. These dedicated warriors certainly earn our admiration in the good/evil binary of the conflict, but complications help give the documentary shape, as in the attention given a crusty logger named Valdir, who agreed to be featured on camera. A logger for over 50 years since he was 8, he knows exactly what's wrong with his job, but is trapped in the maw of an industry as a means of survival for his family. Even a wealthy landowner can come off like a victim here, as is the case with Tadeu, a businessman who in the 1990s started an ecological sanctuary on his 28,000 hectares, and whose complaints to the Brazilian government about illegal encroachment on his land fall on deaf ears. There's a comprehensiveness to how 'We Are Guardians' lays out a big, knotty problem of environment, politics, geography and business — internationalized yet hyper-local — while spotlighting the Indigenous push-back efforts. But the movie's verité style of thumbnail portraiture doesn't always dovetail neatly with the other elements: the unloading of facts, getting those drone shots in and projecting a thriller-like atmosphere. Coming on the heels of the aesthetically sharp and immersive 'The Territory' from a couple years ago (which covers some of the same ground), 'We Are Guardians' feels more like a highlighting of issues than a documentary journey that takes you somewhere. But sometimes, it's whatever gets out the message, right? When it comes to climate change, our media diet is starved. So if you need that refresher course in the importance of saving the Amazon, 'We Are Guardians,' like a well-made pamphlet, does the job with plenty of efficiency and heat.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Area23a Sets Release Date For ‘We Are Guardians,' Film About Amazon Rainforest Protectors From Producer Fisher Stevens, E.P. Leonardo DiCaprio
EXCLUSIVE: Area23a has acquired We Are Guardians, an urgent documentary on Indigenous defenders of the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil produced by Fisher Stevens' Highly Flammable, and Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way. Area23a is set to release the film theatrically on June 6 beginning in Los Angeles, followed by a nationwide 50 city theatrical screening tour. Amazon will be releasing We Are Guardians imminently in Germany and the U.K. The film is directed by Edivan Guajajara, co-founder of Mídia Indígena, Brazil's leading Indigenous-led journalism collective, and environmental filmmakers Chelsea Greene and Rob Grobman. More from Deadline Kubrick Estate On Board Upcoming Documentary On Impact Of '2001: A Space Odyssey'; Leonardo DiCaprio, Mike Medavoy & More Producing Leonardo DiCaprio Kicks Off Warner Bros' CinemaCon With More Footage From Paul Thomas Anderson's 'One Battle After Another' Disney Near Deal For Hawaii-Set Crime Pic With Scorsese, Dwayne Johnson, DiCaprio & Emily Blunt: The Dish We Are Guardians follows Tembé and Guajajara forest guardians of Brazil 'in their fight to protect the Amazon Rainforest from destruction,' according to a release. 'Shot in a close, character-driven vérité style, the film explores the complex intersections of politics, history, economics, and science, shedding light on the global implications of deforestation in one of the world's most vital ecosystems.' Stevens, the Oscar-winning producer of The Cove, said in a statement, 'With the current administration gutting the EPA and NOAA, along with decimating climate protections, the message and impact of We Are Guardians to protect our world's lungs is more vital and urgent than ever before.' Area23a owner Kirt Eftekhar commented, 'We're thrilled to be partnering with the teams at Highly Flammable, Appian Way, Random Good, and the filmmakers behind We Are Guardians. This visually stunning film—made for the big screen experience—offers communities across North America a unique opportunity to come together, spark impactful discussion, and take part in the mission to protect the Amazon.' The pace of deforestation in Brazil's rainforest slowed between 2023-2024, but in that time frame it still lost close to 2,500 square miles – roughly the size of the state of Delaware. 'We Are Guardians is a prayer for the earth, for humanity, for connection and an appeal to the whole of human society at a time of deep polarization,' said directors Chelsea Greene and Rob Grobman. 'This film not only introduces us to the forest guardians in the Brazilian Amazon, but also to the loggers, farmers, and ranchers who must be included in this important conversation.' Previously, ZDF Studios' Off the Fence acquired worldwide rights to We Are Guardians, excluding North America and Latin America. The film was acquired by Netflix in 2024 for a release across Latin America. 'Through the release to date and the impact campaign's fundraising efforts, We Are Guardians has already provided meaningful support directly to the forest guardians, begun reforestation and is now positioned to provide even greater support,' the release states. 'The theatrical release will significantly help us invite new, larger audiences to contribute/join this effort.' 'We are so delighted to see the impact this film has had in supporting the Amazon Rainforest and its guardians,' said Jennifer Davisson of Appian Way. 'While there has been significant reforestation efforts and guardian training achievements, our work does not stop here. Through the North American theatrical release of this film, we will continue to amplify the voices of these indigenous communities and activate future generations of activists.' Director Edivan Guajajara said, 'We Are Guardians was just a seed…real and definitive impact in the Amazon was always the ultimate goal. The impact campaign is an extension of my life and my people's way of life, dedicated to the protection of the Amazon Rainforest and its guardians.' Fisher Stevens, Zak Kilberg and Maura Anderson of Highly Flammable produced the documentary along with filmmaker Chelsea Greene of One Forest. Leonardo DiCaprio, Oscar-winning actor and activist, serves as executive producer with Jennifer Davisson and Phillip Watson of Appian Way Productions, in addition to Christopher Gebhardt and Randy Gebhardt of Random Good, Bruce Cohen, Edivan Guajajara, Flay Guajajara and Erisvan Bone Guajajara of Mídia Indígena, Rob Grobman, Iz Web, Luiza Krapels, and Marco Krapels. Co-executive producers are Conscious Good, Michael Grimm, Brigit Grimm, Heather Conforto Beatty and Scott Beatty. Area23a, based in Portland, OR, is an 'event-driven theatrical distribution and marketing company' founded in 2009. Distribution credits include the Prime Video release Common Ground (dir. Josh and Rebecca Tickell); Fantastic Fungi (dir. Louie Schwartzberg); Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me (dir. James Keach); HEAL (dir. Kelly Noonan Gores); and Revenge of the Electric Car (dir. Chris Paine). 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