Raoni

A lot more than just following native community leader Raoni and his quest for preserving nature, and the way of life and traditions from the Brazilian indians, which was an important cause embraced by many famous people around the world and that made him a known figure after this movie, this Oscar nominated documentary presents a native tribe from Mato Grosso, their traditions and the problems they face while dealing with the constant invasion of their territories due to the white man's intrusion with farmers expanding their cattle fields. A constant fight of 500 years where countless native communities were extinct and the few remainings struggle to preserve what they have which isn't much but it's all they have.

The version I've seen was the one narrated by Marlon Brando (other versions are narrated by veteran actor Paulo César Peréio or actor Jacques Perrin), and the acclaimed actor has a brief appearance at the introduction when a huge March in Washington followed American natives fighting for their rights which at the time were being ignored by some major policies. If they weren't getting visibility and respect while living in a developed nation, you can only imagine what went in Brazil at that particular decade and even most recently when the talks of land demarcation on indian terrorities is a cause of controversy for those who feel entitled to their land so they could use as a resourceful place to be devastated to gain profits.

Besides the many difficulties they faced and are presented throughout the film, I was mostly immersed by the natives culture, traditions and rituals. Most of what's shown from how they deal with the white man, their hunting, fight training, body paintings and all can be seen in countless TV projects or similar, but somehow there's a great sense of curiosity given that one keeps imagining living in that particular manner or even some deep thoughts on how much a primitive community rooted in tradition manages to survive without wanting more than what they know. Unlike us and our everlasting pursuit for progress and technological advancements, they just want to keep with what they know and what comes from the exterior world is simply pointless and they can live better without - except for medicine and treatment since the times around them evolved and the loads of disease they suffer, getting from the white man, can't be cured with just the plants from their environment.

The final third of the film is the encounter of Raoni - after countless meetings with his tribe, a rival tribe and members of Funai (a government foundation for the native), he meets with naturalist Cláudio Villas-Boas, the man who found Raoni and his tribe some years earlier, and together they go to the crazed big city of São Paulo where Raoni gets to visit not only the major finantial center of the country and its historical places but he also visits a small tribe located in the city where the small group of indians live on a territory owned by a Japanese company. It's a brief moment and Roani simply can't understand such thing happening. Back in Mato Grosso, despite the threats of losing his land, he knows that he'll be there or find means to go deep in the jungle. But no, he found ways to spread his message in Brazil and around the globe in order to fight for the place he lives. And the world also depends on it as well...the forest.

Highly enjoyable and informative film. 10/10.