Directed by Richard Ladkani Produced by Anita Ladkani, Richard Ladkani Producers: Juma Xipaia, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson, Phillip Watson Executive Producers: Joanna Natasegara, Laura Nix, Eric Terena, Dax Dasilva, Martin Choroba, Philipp Schall | 2025 | 112 min.
2026 Official Selection
YANUNI is a cinematic portrait of Juma Xipaia, an Indigenous chief from the Brazilian Amazon
who rises from a remote village to the frontlines of climate justice. After surviving six
assassination attempts, she is appointed Brazil’s first Secretary of Indigenous Rights—while her
husband, a federal IBAMA agent, leads dangerous operations against illegal gold miners. As
Juma navigates political power, growing threats, and impending motherhood, she is forced to
confront the personal cost of resistance. At once intimate and epic, YANUNI is a powerful story of
Indigenous sovereignty, love, and the urgent fight to protect the planet we call home.
Richard Ladkani is an award-winning director and cinematographer with over fifty documentaries
to his credit, spanning urgent environmental, social, and political themes. His films include Sea of
Shadows (National Geographic/Disney+) and The Ivory Game (Netflix)—both executive
produced by Leonardo DiCaprio. Sea of Shadows won the Sundance Audience Award, while The
Ivory Game was shortlisted for the Academy Awards in 2017.
A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Richard is known for both
directing and photographing his films—allowing for a uniquely intimate and visually immersive
style. Fluent in five languages, he is a storytelling activist who uses the camera to inspire global
awareness and change.
His body of work also includes Jane’s Journey, an acclaimed portrait of Dr. Jane Goodall that
was theatrically released in over 40 countries and shortlisted for the Academy Awards, and The
Devil’s Miner, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. In 2023, he served as Series Director
on Arctic Ascent, a climate-focused expedition series for National Geographic/Disney+.
In 2015, Richard and his wife Anita founded Malaika Pictures, a production company dedicated
to cinematic, impact-driven storytelling.
