Impact Days Catalogue
fifdh
By Alvaro Sarmiento and Alvaro Sarmiento

The Dusk of the Amazon

El ocaso de la Amazonía
Image du film The dusk of the Amazon - FIFDH 2023
IMPACT DAYS

Through the lens of the current eco-political context, the documentary investigates the history of colonialism in the Peruvian Amazon, taking as a point of departure Roger Casement’s expedition in 1910. The Irish diplomat denounced the horrors of the rubber industry and helped to bring an end to the genocide of over 30,000 Indigenous people. The film draws a parallel story between the past and the present to show that the violence of the rubber era is not over but has instead adopted new forms. The main characters are three Huitoto leaders on a quest for justice. They are descendants of the ethnic group most affected by the bloody barons. In order to rebuild their Indigenous identity, they retrace the footsteps of their ancestors and revisit their family stories, unravelling their grandparents’ process of forced migration.

Sections : Impact Days, Impact Days
Country : Peru, Colombia
Original language : Spanish
Directors
Alvaro Sarmiento
Alvaro Sarmiento (Peru)
Producers
Diego Sarmiento
Leiqui Uriana
Diego Sarmiento (Peru)
Leiqui Uriana (Colombia)
HDPERU
Anakaa Films
Completion
March 2024
Impact Statement
We want to use the film as a tool for debate, to heal the traumatic past through cinema and to investigate the history of colonialism in the Peruvian rainforest. The aim is to create a new historical understanding so inhabitants from Indigenous nations can reflect upon their past and ethnic identity. We will coordinate with rural schools in the Amazon region to organize screenings of our new documentary and teach educational workshops. We will produce pedagogical material to distribute in public schools. In order to raise awareness, we will create strategic partnerships with local and international organisations engaged in the protection of Indigenous and environmental issues. The audience can also support by donating money for workshops that aim to educate native children from rural schools in the Amazon, who can identify with the native cultures represented in our documentary.
We want to produce educational material to accompany the film screenings, focusing on rural schools in the Amazon region and holding workshops, with the film's protagonists, to teach children and young people about positive experiences in the defence of their territory.
Impact Goals
  1. To spread awareness of Indigenous activists, risking their lives to protect the Amazon land and resources.
  2. Pursue an anti-racism agenda in South America to bridge a cultural gap and re-frame the dialogue around environmental conservation.
  3. Shine a light on the importance of Indigenous activism and environmental justice.
  4. Decrease the number of Indigenous activists being killed by corporations, illegal miners, lodging and deforestation.
Impact Strategy
  • Design community screenings and discussions of the film in schools, NGOs, activists, and local press in the Amazon.
  • To offer a 20-minute cut for pedagogical use and toolkit for teachers (age 10+).
  • To participate in an international advocacy tour with our protagonists and NGOs partners.
  • Strategic partnerships that will lead to international laws and advocacy to protect Indigenous and environmental activists.
  • To develop a professional press and social media campaign around the film and impact campaign.
  • To turn the film into a copyleft production to increase accessibility in low-income countries (expected around two years after film launch).
  • To organise screenings and events in cities in Latin America, EU and USA.
Contact
Primary contact
Diego Sarmiento (Peru): wantutrifor@gmail.com
Participants present at the Impact Days
Diego Sarmiento (Peru)
Alvaro Sarmiento (Peru)

Film funds and agencies
Ministry of Culture of Peru
IBERMEDIA
Anakaa Films (Colombia)
HDPeru
Wayaakua (Venezuela)

Film funds and agencies
Ministry of Culture of Peru
IBERMEDIA
Anakaa Films (Colombia)
HDPeru
Wayaakua (Venezuela)