WE ARE GUARDIANS Trailer

We Are Guardians follows the Indigenous forest protectors of the Amazon—as they risk their lives to fend off illegal loggers and land invaders. 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.

The documentary is a powerful story of hope and resilience amid an unfolding environmental crisis, as the Tembé and Guajajara people persist in their struggle to preserve their ancestral lands.

Area23a (Fantastic Fungi, Common Ground) has announced the acquisition of the urgent environmental documentary We Are Guardians, with a North American theatrical release scheduled to begin on June 6th in Los Angeles, CA, followed by a nationwide 50 city theatrical screening tour.

Making the film’s release even more timely, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) will be held in the Amazon for the first time later this year.

The film has already been honored with numerous accolades, including the Cinema for Peace Green Film Award, the Jackson Wild Impact Award, Best Documentary at the UK’s Raindance Film Festival, and the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Mostra São Paulo International Film Festival. We Are Guardians world-premiered at Hot Docs in Toronto.

Produced by Academy Award-winner Fisher Stevens’ Highly Flammable, along with the critically acclaimed film and television production company, Appian Way. Stevens, the Oscar-winning producer for The Cove, has collaborated with Appian Way on several acclaimed documentaries, including Before the Flood, and And We Go Green.

Stevens, Zak Kilberg and Maura Anderson of Highly Flammable produced the documentary along with filmmaker Chelsea Greene of One Forest.

Leonardo DiCaprio, the Academy Award-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.

The film’s call to action aims to support the ongoing work of the Tembé and Guajajara forest guardians of Brazil in their fight to protect the Amazon Rainforest from destruction. 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 theatrical release will significantly help us invite new, larger audiences to contribute/join this effort.