The 3D experience, signed by filmmaker Estevão Ciavatta, takes the user, thanks to the wise guidance of an indigenous chief, on an extraordinary journey in the world's largest rainforest threatened by man and climate change. The goal: to spread beauty, bring people together, encourage them to take care of this piece of Creation.
Bianca Fraccalvieri – Vatican News
A virtual instrument to warn about what is real. And the reality that is being talked about is urgent: the preservation of the Amazon forest.
This is the purpose of the 3D film "Amazônia Viva", an immersive experience in the region of the Tapajós River, in the State of Pará, which uses 360° footage to unveil one of the most important places on the planet and thus bring the Amazon closer to the people.
A special guide
Nine minutes long, the "trip" is led by cacique Raquel Tupinambá, from the Surucuá community. The indigenous leader virtually guides the viewer through one of the most relevant biomes, fascinating and, unfortunately, threatened by human action. First of all, the viewer flies over the green immensity of the forest, and then enters the streams, admiring centennial trees, meeting birds, diving with the children in the river, and even going for a canoe ride. It is impossible to remain oblivious to such beauty, richness, and exuberance.
Objetivo do filme
“Então esta é a missão, o objetivo do filme: trazer a floresta para perto das pessoas e levar as pessoas para dentro da floresta, ainda que seja em termos virtuais”, explica Carlos Vicente, facilitador nacional da Iniciativa Inter-religiosa Pelas Florestas Tropicais (IRI Brasil), idealizador do projeto. O filme, de fato, será é uma das principais ferramentas que a IRI utilizará em seus programas de sensibilização, formação e engajamento de lideranças e comunidades religiosas sobre a preservação da Amazônia e a defesa dos povos indígenas.
The Amazon has a fundamental role
And its dissemination began precisely at the COP27, in Egypt. And for Carlos, this Conference was very important for Brazil, since all the nations of the world are worried about the increase in emissions, which are increasing the temperatures of the planet. There is a risk that warming will exceed what was established in the Paris Agreement, which is 1.5 degrees. In this context, the Amazon forest has a fundamental role, because - as Carlos explains - "if we continue destroying, burning, emitting CO2, a large part of the efforts of the whole world may be lost.
"Because there is no point in reducing emissions in one place and, for example, the rainforest continues to burn and emit. But on the other hand, it is extremely important because of the enormous reserve it has of water, of biodiversity, and of cultural diversity that needs to be preserved for the good of Brazil and for the good of humanity."
The echo of Laudato si'
From Egypt, the film reached the Vatican and, who knows, Pope Francis.
"Pope Francis and Laudato Si' and the Catholic Church have the leadership in this theme of caring for the Common House, as Pope Francis calls it, caring for nature, respecting indigenous populations, local communities. And the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative’s mission is inspired by what Pope brings that we should take care of Creation, take care of nature, and therefore take care of everyone, not only the current generation, but also future generations."
"And nothing better than to do that through the path of art, culture, spirituality, and also education. It all comes from this incredible inspiration, which is in the Bible and which was so well translated by Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato Si."
Indeed, the Pontiff quotes the rainforest in his encyclical Laudato Si', defining it as one of the "lungs of the planet brimming with biodiversity".
Time to act
"The importance of these places for the whole planet and for the future of humanity cannot be ignored. The ecosystems of tropical forests possess a biodiversity of enormous complexity, almost impossible to know completely, but when these forests are burned or cut down to develop crops, in a few years countless species are lost, or such areas turn into arid deserts."
In another document, in the Apostolic Exhortation "Dear Amazonia," Francis declaims his poetry for the region in the form of four dreams. There, he writes, "water is the queen; rivers and streams resemble veins, and every form of life springs from it." This is precisely the experience lived in the "Amazonia viva" film.
*With script and direction by award-winning filmmaker Estevão Ciavatta, from Pindorama
Films, and funding from the Climate and Society Institute (iCS), "Amazônia Viva" will be made available free of charge to anyone interested in promoting awareness of the protection of the Amazon rainforest inside and outside of Brazil.
