Juma Xipaia is an Indigenous chief who has dedicated her life to fighting illegal gold mining and defending the rights of Indigenous peoples. In Yanuni (2025), directed by Richard Ladkani and produced by Richard, Anita Ladkani, Juma herself and actor and activist Leonardo DiCaprio, she is both the protagonist and a producer. The documentary was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and is available for free on DiCaprio’s YouTube channel.
In her conversation with Tropical Alien, Juma recalls that she first turned down Richard’s invitation and explains what won her over: he had no script and wanted to make the film with her. She also talks about meeting Jane Goodall and the Yanuni Fund.
Recorded ahead of Brazil’s October 25 runoff, the conversation also addresses what the result could mean for Indigenous peoples and for the work Juma has developed over the years.
Synopsis: Yanuni follows Indigenous chief Juma Xipaia as she moves from activism into Brazil’s new Ministry of Indigenous Peoples. While her partner, Hugo, a federal agent, leads operations against illegal gold mines, she navigates politics, threats and impending motherhood, all at the personal cost of resistance.
Where to watch Yanuni:
The film is available for free on YouTube. Learn more about Instituto Juma and the Yanuni Fund.
Read also: Interview with director Richard Ladkani
Credits – Yanuni
Director: Richard Ladkani
Featuring: Juma Xipaia, Hugo Loss
Producers: Anita Ladkani, Leonardo DiCaprio, Juma Xipaia, Richard Ladkani, Jennifer Davisson, Phillip Watson
Executive Producers: Dax Dasilva, Joanna Natasegara, Laura Nix, Eric Terena, Martin Choroba, Philipp Schall
Cinematography: Richard Ladkani
Second Camera: Fábio Nascimento
Editing: Georg M. Fischer
Score: H. Scott Salinas
Original Title Song: Katú Mirim (composer and vocalist)
Vocals: Djuena Tikuna
Production Companies: Malaika Pictures, in association with Appian Way, Nia Tero, Age of Union and Tellux
Supported by: ÖFI+ (Austrian Film Institute)
