The Territory

There has been a litany of environmentally conscious documentaries made in recent years that highlight the growing concerns facing our planet. None of these films, however, feel as significant as Alex Pitz’s The Territory. Taking viewers to the frontlines of the conflict between Brazil’s indigenous Uru-eu-wau-wau people and the constant threats they face from farmers, miners, and settlers emboldened to seize protected land for themselves, this eye-opening documentary presents the reality of the people who fight, not just for the environment, but to preserve the existence of their culture. 

The documentary wastes no time in showing the uphill battle these people face. Scenes of industrial deforestation alongside people recklessly burning down large areas of woodland without a care for the wildlife that will be harmed place a spotlight on the uncontrolled destruction of the rainforest that’s eating into their home. Graphics of farmland taking over the surrounding greenery alongside an opening title highlighting how the Uru-eu-wau-wau’s population has plummeted since the Brazilian government contacted them in 1980 likewise only reinforce the severity of the ongoing situation. Taking on this fight head on is 18-year-old native Bitaté and activist Neidinha Bandeira, who’s been campaigning for decades to protect the rainforest and its inhabitants.

Their fight is against those spurred on by the victory of Jair Bolsonaro, whose rhetoric promised to eradicate all indigenous land. Interviews with some of these invaders reveals they feel entitled to what they “deserve”. One farmworker poignantly compares the contested land to the frontier in the wild west. To them, the metaphor sparks connotations of cowboys conquering the untamed. But there is a bleaker truth to this analogy that mirrors the fate of the Native Americans: with tensions beginning to intensify on both sides, an all-out war looks set to break loose. The danger is palpable as native patrols search for those destroying their land. And for Bandeira, the danger becomes all-too real when threats target her family.

Pitz’s film succeeds in many areas; it’s an account of remarkable individuals fighting for what’s right. It presents viewers with an ugly snapshot of current politics. And it’s a powerful (but nevertheless hopeful) call to action for what could be humanity’s last stand against environmental catastrophe.

Andrew Murray

The Territory is released in select cinemas on 2^nd September 2022.

Watch the trailer for The Territory here: