Join The Onyx Downtown and the Wild & Scenic Film Festival for a very special screening of the powerful new documentary We Are Guardians on Wednesday, September 24, at 7 PM. The screening takes place at The Onyx Downtown at the Nevada Theatre, 401 Broad Street, Nevada City. This 90-minute film takes viewers deep into the heart of the Amazon, where Indigenous forest protectors risk everything to stand against illegal logging, land grabbing, and corporate destruction. We Are Guardians premiered in Los Angeles on June 6, 2025, and is now being shown in over 50 cities across the country to wide acclaim.
Executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and Oscar-winner Fisher Stevens, the film is co-directed by Indigenous filmmaker Edivan Guajajara, Chelsea Greene, and Rob Grobman. This character-driven documentary is both intimate and urgent, blending personal narratives with scientific reporting and global context to spotlight the climate crisis through the lens of Amazonian resistance.
The film sheds light on the complex needs of farmers, illegal loggers, and Indigenous communities—all of whom are navigating the fragile balance between survival and stewardship. Often referred to as the “lungs of the Earth,” the Amazon rainforest plays a crucial role in climate regulation, oxygen production, and biodiversity conservation.
At a pivotal tipping point, the Amazon’s fate now rests in the hands of the Indigenous guardians fighting to protect it. Their efforts are not just for their home, but for the global future of our climate, ecosystems, and food systems.
In Brazil, Indigenous leadership has already catalyzed real change. Their activism led to the creation of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, and in January 2023, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva appointed Sônia Guajajara as its first minister.
“We’re innovating, which is reforesting minds—it’s not only planting, but reforesting the mind, the thoughts, the heart, the unity and solidarity in the world.”
— Puyr Tembé, First Minister of Indigenous Peoples, State of Pará, Brazil
The Onyx Downtown at the Nevada Theatre continues the tradition of Sunday Night Cinema and community events at this historic venue. The Onyx is committed to presenting films as they were meant to be seen—on the big screen, in a welcoming community theater. Learn more at theonyxtheatre.com.
For over two decades, SYRCL’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival has drawn audiences to the Sierra Nevada foothills for an inspiring lineup of environmental and adventure films. The 24th annual festival will take place February 19–23, 2026, in Nevada City and Grass Valley, with virtual programming running February 19–28. Hosted by the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), the festival is renowned for its powerful storytelling, cinematography, and its mission to ignite action and create a sustainable future. Learn more at wildandscenicfilmfestival.org.
What: Screening of We Are Guardians
Where: The Onyx Downtown at the Nevada Theatre, 401 Broad Street, Nevada City
When: Wednesday, September 24, 7 PM
Tickets: $13 in advance, $15 at the door –Tickets Link
More Info: Link to details