A new film puts the Amazon's Indigenous defenders centre stage

A new short film from Amazon Watch brings the voices and faces of the Amazon's Indigenous defenders to a global audience, making a powerful case for their role at the heart of conservation.

Narrated by actor Oona Chaplin, the film features filmmaker James Cameron alongside two prominent Indigenous leaders: Kayapo leader Chief Raoni Metuktire and Munduruku leader Alessandra Korap Munduruku.

Together, they argue that Indigenous leadership should be recognised not simply as cultural heritage, but as an active, living defence for the rainforest and the climate systems that depend on it.

The film frames these communities as frontline protectors — people who have safeguarded the forest for generations, long before conservation became a global conversation.

By centring their authority and knowledge, it challenges audiences to think carefully about who truly holds the Amazon's future in their hands.

Amazon Watch, an Ecoflix partner, has long worked in solidarity with these communities, supporting their rights and amplifying their calls for justice on the world stage.

At a time when the Amazon faces mounting pressures, putting Indigenous leaders front and centre feels both urgent and necessary.

Films like this one serve a practical purpose: they shift attention toward the people with the deepest stake in the forest's survival.

They also carry a clear message for wider audiences — that protecting the Amazon means standing behind those who have always protected it, and ensuring their voices carry real weight in the decisions that matter most.