Director / Writer / Cinematography: Richard Ladkani
Editor: Georg M. Fischer
Original Score: H. Scott Salinas
Primary Production Company: Malaika Pictures
Associated Production Companies / Partners: Appian Way, Nia Tero, Age of Union, Tellux Film
Producers: Anita Ladkani, Leonardo DiCaprio, Juma Xipaia, Richard Ladkani, Jennifer Davisson, Phillip Watson
Executive Producers: Dax Dasilva, Joanna Natasegara, Laura Nix, Eric Terena, Martin Choroba, Philipp Schall
Main Subjects: Juma Xipaia and Hugo Loss
Featured Family Members: Tuppak Tawary Xipaia and Yanuni Xipaia Loss
Premise: Yanuni centers on Juma Xipaia as she moves from her Indigenous community in Brazil’s Amazon to the political front lines of environmental and Indigenous-rights activism. The documentary covers her campaign against illegal mining, land grabbing, and destruction of Indigenous territory, along with the threats she faces, her growing political responsibilities, her marriage to Hugo Loss, and her journey into motherhood.

Juma Xipaia and the Fight for the Amazon

Yanuni documents the life and work of Juma Xipaia, an Indigenous leader from Brazil’s Amazon who has become a prominent advocate for Indigenous rights and environmental protection. Director Richard Ladkani captures her political work, marriage to environmental enforcement officer Hugo Loss, and transition into motherhood alongside the threats surrounding their efforts to combat illegal mining and protect the rainforest.

The film brings an intimate perspective to a conflict involving Indigenous sovereignty, environmental destruction, political power, and the future of the Amazon.

The Issues at the Heart of Yanuni

Indigenous sovereignty sits at the center of Yanuni, with Juma’s work showing how environmental protection, territorial rights, and political representation are closely connected in the Brazilian Amazon. Illegal mining and deforestation provide an immediate physical threat, while repeated violence against activists reveals the personal danger faced by those challenging powerful economic interests.

Family adds another dimension to the documentary. Juma’s pregnancy and relationship with Hugo place questions of legacy and responsibility alongside their public work. Their experiences give the film a personal framework for examining what environmental activism demands from the people directly involved and what preserving the Amazon could mean for future generations.

Festival Recognition, Awards and Oscar Attention

Yanuni premiered as the Closing Night Gala at the 2025 Tribeca Festival before developing an extensive international festival run. The documentary went on to screen at more than 65 festivals and collect more than 25 awards, establishing it as one of the more widely recognized environmental documentaries of its season.

Among its honors were Best Documentary Feature and Best Director for Richard Ladkani at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, the São Paulo International Film Festival’s audience award for Best International Documentary, and documentary prizes from the Los Angeles Brazilian Film Festival and other environmental and Indigenous-focused festivals.

The film also reached the 15-title shortlist for Best Documentary Feature at the 98th Academy Awards. It did not receive a final Oscar nomination, but reaching the Academy shortlist gave Yanuni significant awards-season visibility alongside some of the year’s most prominent documentaries.

Yanuni Is Now Free to Watch

Following its June 2025 world premiere at Tribeca, Yanuni spent much of the following year traveling through film festivals, special screenings, and theatrical engagements around the world. Its rollout included a limited U.S. theatrical release in November 2025 and theatrical screenings in several international markets during 2026.

The filmmakers have since taken a much broader approach to distribution. In September 2026, Leonardo DiCaprio released the complete documentary free on his YouTube channel, making Yanuni available to viewers worldwide without a theatrical ticket or streaming subscription. The release quickly passed one million views in less than three days, extending the film’s reach well beyond its festival audience.

Yanuni can now be watched in full for free through Leonardo DiCaprio’s YouTube channel.

Links

Stand with those protecting the Amazon Rainforest: https://rewild.org/yanuni
Support global conservation efforts with Age of Union: https://ageofunion.com/
Learn about the Juma Institute: https://institutojuma.org
Watch Yanuni on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RhDdAONYZeQ?si=NbqxjkAokZMirKDl

Juma Xipaia and the Fight for the Amazon

The Issues at the Heart of Yanuni

Festival Recognition, Awards and Oscar Attention

Yanuni Is Now Free to Watch

Links

Yanuni Key Figures