In 2012, the indigenous Shipibo community of Nueva Betania in Peru successfully saved their territory from exploitation. They used a football tournament to peacefully raise awareness of, and collectively work against, the multinational petrochemical company threatening their resources. Through Shipibo: The Art of Peace, the Peruvian production company Minkaprod equipped the Shipibo community with the technical knowledge to write and create their own film recounting their story.
Mikaprod led workshops that were a collective creative experience which reinforced a sense of community within Nueva Betania. The resulting film is a narrative of empowered resistance that strives to generate greater awareness of their battle and ultimately put an end to corporate and industrial incursions into Shipibo territory. A further aim of the project is to inspire other indigenous communities who face similar threats.
Adrián Hartill Montalvo
Adrián Hartill Montalvo is a British-Ecuadorian filmmaker and educator. His work has won awards at film festivals in Cuba, Ecuador, the United States, Peru and Spain. He offers workshops to young activists and indigenous women leaders in the Amazon and the Andes, to help them sharpen their communication and technical skills. He is the production director of Minkaprod, an agency focused on audio-visual production and education through participatory social communication strategies.
In collaboration with:
- Alberto Mori – Pecóm Nima
- Carlos Pío – Inin Niwe
- Dilmer Gomez – Ranin Metsa
- Etelvina Sinuiri – Metsa Jabe
- Gabriel Sinuiri
- Juan Carlos – Kesimeni
- Katherine Paredes – Ronin Kaisi
- Leo Richar Ochavano – Sanken Soy
- Maira Tangoa
- Marcia Ochavano – Korin Siana
- Minkaprod
- Rómulo Sinuiri – Iskon Beso
- Thalia Bardales