Yanuni is a courageous documentary, made by people who believe that giving voice to an urgent issue and bringing it to as many people as possible is a non-negotiable priority, even when it demands personal sacrifice.
Directed by Austrian filmmaker Richard Ladkani (The Ivory Game, 2016; Sea of Shadows, 2019), the film follows Indigenous chief Juma Xipaia in her fight against illegal gold mining and for the rights of Indigenous peoples. Produced by Richard and his partner, Anita Ladkani, alongside Juma and actor and activist Leonardo DiCaprio, it was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
In his interview with Tropical Alien, Richard talks about making a film that put lives genuinely at risk: the protagonist’s, that of her partner, Hugo Loss, head of Special Operations at Ibama, Brazil’s environmental agency, and his own, as he joined the operations against illegal mining.
Recorded ahead of Brazil’s October 25 runoff, the conversation also touches on the country’s political moment, whose outcome could directly affect what Juma and Hugo have achieved in recent years and the future of their lives.
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 Juma Xipaia
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)
