We Are Guardians
Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2023
May 31 - June 11, 2023
As the Indigenous Brazilian forest guardians of the Tenetehara fend off attacks from illegal loggers, miners, and exporters, this global story shares what happens when Indigenous rights, land stewardship, environmental science, and political corruption converge, leaving the fate of the Amazon and it’s Indigenous communities in the balance.
U.S. Premiere
Q&A with Edivan Guajajara, Chelsea Greene and Rob Grobman, activist and film participant Puyr Tembé, plus Andrea Carvalho, Environment & Human Rights senior research assistant at Human Rights Watch on June 4
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 film’s 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
This film is captioned and audio-described; the discussion panel following the film will be live-captioned.
We Are Guardians also screens digitally nationwide between June 5 – 11 on HRWFF’s digital streaming platform. Watch here.
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