Terra Vermelha is an ongoing documentary project that documents the current environmental and social crises affecting the Amazon Rainforest. The Amazon Rainforest is the most biologically diverse region on the planet; it provides a crucial buffer against the effects of climate change and is home to thousands of undiscovered species. But it’s also a region of extreme violence, poverty and cruelty, where deforestation, land grabbing, illegal mining and drug trafficking are leading to the demise of the forest and its people. The title – which means red earth in Portuguese – is a reference to the Amazon’s red brown soil, but also the savage bloodshed that has stalked the region for centuries. Now however, scientists say the forest is reaching a crucial tipping point and if deforestation and environmental destruction don’t stop the forest will begin a slow but unstoppable process of desertification. Through investigative on the ground reporting, haunting photos and video, Terra Vermelha sheds light on how murder, crime, corruption and greed contribute to the destruction of the world’s last great remaining tropical forest. The project was supported by the Carmignac foundation.
