Environmentalist Assassination Doc ‘The Silence of the Earth’ to Be Shopped at Mipcom by Banijay Rights (EXCLUSIVE)
Banijay Rights has teamed with Banijay Iberia label Diagonal TV and Crescendo Media Production on the feature documentary “The Silence of the Earth,” about the assassinations of three environmental activists and the larger impact that climate destruction is having on our world. Banijay will be sharing the film with prospective buyers at Mipcom later this month.
Eulogio Romero directs the film, which takes a close look at the lives and tragic deaths of three fearless environmentalists: Berta Cáceres, Paulo Paulino Guajajara and Aldo Zamora. Each had their lives cut short while fighting the good fight against unchecked corporate greed and environmental destruction.
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Thematically, “The Silence of Earth” plays out as an investigative thriller, although its producers say at its core, it’s “a heart-wrenching drama, shining a light on the dark forces behind their deaths and connecting them to global climate change.”
Cáceres was a Honduran activist and Indigenous leader who co-founded the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras and won the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2015. In 2016, she was killed in her home by a group of assassins, several of whom had U.S. military connections.
Paulino, also known as “Lobo,” was a Brazilian activist and member of the Guardians of the Forest, a group of Indigenous land defenders who pushed back against illegal logging operations. In 2019, Paulino and his cousin were ambushed by a group of the loggers who killed Paulino and wounded his cousin.
Aldo Zamora was the son of legendary Mexican activist Ildefonso Zamora. Aldo and his brother Misael both followed in their father’s footsteps, joining Greenpeace Mexico and denouncing illegal logging. In 2007, Aldo was killed in an ambush by a group of loggers.
“The Silence of the Earth” will feature unprecedented access to the people closest to the victims during their lives while outlining the local power structures that have allowed corporations to commit heinous crimes with impunity. The film will also present a wider perspective on the far-reaching effects of environmental destruction, which extend well beyond the borders of the activists’ home countries.
Jordi Frades, Managing Director at Diagonal TV, said in a release: “This documentary is not just a film; it’s a call to action. Climate change is the defining crisis of our time, affecting every person on the planet. Through ‘The Silence of the Earth,’ we bring to life the powerful and harrowing stories of the environmental activists who paid the ultimate price to protect the earth. Eulogio Romero masterfully blends investigative thriller with cinematic drama, delivering a deeply human narrative to engage audiences and inspire action.”
Cathy Payne, Banijay Rights CEO, added: “‘The Silence of the Earth’ is an urgent and vital documentary. By revealing the real-life consequences of environmental destruction, we hope to spark conversations on the intersections between corporate power, human rights and the climate crisis. With our global reach, Banijay Rights is committed to ensuring this essential story reaches audiences worldwide, and we believe Mipcom 2024 is the perfect stage for its international debut.”
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