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.

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.