In Mexico, the world’s avocado capital, forests fall and fortunes rise as land defenders and producers confront cartel violence, deforestation, and growing water scarcity. As global demand reshapes two towns, they clash over what’s worth protecting: profit, people, or the land itself.

In Michoacán, the avocado boom has been a blessing and a curse, lifting many out of poverty but also driving rampant deforestation, water theft, and cartel violence. Frontline communities are self-organizing to defend themselves, so our first priority is to provide security support for environmental defenders. Long term, the most promising and scalable solution is a deforestation-free certification system based on satellite monitoring called Pro-Forest, already adopted by the Mexican government. As filmmakers, our goal is to use storytelling to increase public pressure so that more businesses commit to sourcing certified “clean” avocados, helping safeguard land, water, and local communities.