This is a documentary about idigenous women in the brazilian Amazon who had to leave their home, their land and traditions in order to live in a city to provide education for their children. While scientists are measuring a loss in biodiversity and traditional knowledge around those cities, the indigenuous communities of the Rio Negro have created the « Traditional Agricultural System of the Rio Negro », that officialy became part of the brazilian cultural heritage, to preserve their way of living and their special relationship to their environnement.
In 2023, one year after shooting the film, I had the privilege of going back to the "Medio Rio Negro" region in the Brazilian Amazon to spend some more time with the 'Donas de Roça' and organise a screening of the documentary.
Once the strong tropical rain stoped, we transformed Dona Teresa's porch into a cinema and shared the film, some foods from the 'roça', lots of laughs and very interesting discussions about the things that had already changed in one year and those that unfortunately seem to be forever set to go in the wrong direction.
This screening and discussions made me see the film differently and cut a new version, that was later shown in some universities and at events in Brazil, France and Germany.