Can film contribute to climate justice and community-led activism in the Amazon?

Bringing together filmmakers, activists, researchers and cultural practitioners, this panel explores the opportunities and tensions at the intersection of cinema, advocacy and social change. From participatory media projects in which Indigenous and riverine communities use cameras and mobile phones to tell their own stories, to internationally acclaimed productions created in collaboration with community leaders, the discussion, which is part of the London Climate Action Week, will examine who gets to tell Amazonian stories, for whom, and to what end.

Can film strengthen local agency, political participation and environmental advocacy? Or does the urgency of the climate crisis sometimes become secondary to the aesthetic and institutional priorities of filmmakers and cultural organisations?

Drawing on experiences from community-led audiovisual projects, Indigenous filmmaking initiatives and feature documentaries, the panel will explore the possibilities and limitations of cinema as a tool for activism, representation and social transformation.

About the speakers

• Adriana Rouanet (co-curator of BFI Brazil on Film Season; Director Instituto Rouanet)
• Yula Rocha (Communications Lead and Climate and Indigenous Project Manager People’s Palace Projects)
• Raquel Viggiani (Founder of Instituto Arumã)
• Dr. Flávio Garcia da Rocha (Cultural Director Instituto Rouanet)
• Ali Rocha (Founder of Brazil Matters)
• Shalimar Martins (Amazon activist, Earthshot Leadership Programme)

The discussion will be moderated by Dr Felipe Botelho (Reader in Cultural Studies, King’s College London).