We are delighted to share that Surará – Spirit of Resistance has won the “Guardians in Action” category at the 2026 Santiago Wild Festival.

Directed by Lea Hejn, the film follows Chief Dadá Borari and tells the story of the Borarí people’s struggle to defend their ancestral territory in the Maró Indigenous Territory.

Set deep in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, the film unfolds through the voices of a chief, a teacher and a shaman. Combining re-enacted scenes with archival footage, it follows the Borarí Forest Guardians as they defend their territory against logging companies and work to keep the forest standing.

The film captures the emergence of an Indigenous-led resistance movement that has since contributed to the training of Forest Guardians across the Amazon Rainforest and Cerrado. It is both a tribute to the Borarí people’s resilience and a reflection on the power of Indigenous leadership in protecting forests and territories.

This territorial defence model will also be recognised by the United Nations as a headline success story in the 2026 World Wildlife Crime Report.

We are grateful to everyone who helped bring this story to life and honoured that it continues to reach new audiences.

You can watch the film trailer aquí.