Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Yanuni
2025 documentary film From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Yanuni is a 2025 documentary film written, directed and co-produced by Richard Ladkani. Leonardo DiCaprio is also one of the co-producer of the film which is about Indigenous chief Juma Xipaia of Xipaya people, who fights to protect tribal lands despite assassination attempts.[1]
The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on 14 June 2025. It was part of the Closing Night Gala at the festival.[2]
It was shortlisted for the Best Documentary Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards.[3][4]
Remove ads
Summary
Summarize
Perspective
The film follows the life and activism of Juma Xipaia, an Indigenous leader from the Brazilian Amazon. The film traces her journey from her community in Xipaya territory to national politics, where she became Brazil's first Secretary of Articulation and Promotion of Indigenous Rights under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. It highlights Juma's role in defending her people and the rainforest against illegal mining, land-grabbing, and corporate exploitation, despite surviving multiple assassination attempts. It also portrays her partnership with Hugo Loss, her husband and head of Special Operations at Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources, Brazil's environmental protection agency, who conducts high-risk missions to dismantle illegal mining camps.
Balancing political responsibilities, personal sacrifice, and impending motherhood, Juma's story is presented as both a personal narrative and a broader reflection on Indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, and the struggle to protect the Amazon. The film combines intimate storytelling with urgent political themes, framing Yanuni as both a portrait of resilience and a call to action for future generations.
Remove ads
Cast
- Juma Xipaia
- Hugo Loss
Release
Yanuni had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on 14 June 2025 as the closing film of the festival.[5] It had its International premiere at the Sheffield DocFest on 20 June 2025.[6]
It opened Los Angeles Brazilian Film Festival on 13 October 2025.[7]
It competed at the Savannah Film Festival in Documentary Features on 26 October 2025.[8][9]
The film competed at the Red Nation Film Festival for Red Nation Awards on 14 November 2025.[10]
The film will be presented in the True Stories section of the 37th Palm Springs International Film Festival on 2 January 2026.[11][12]
Accolades
Remove ads
See also
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads