Brazil’s Warrior Women Synopsis
The Babassu warriors have battled hard to maintain their way of life. In the face of intimidation and threats from farmers for years, Babassu women have negotiated their own terms, establishing the Free Babassu Law in seven states.
Brazil’s Warrior Women was an official selection of the 2017 WVN Online Film Festival.
About the Filmmaker
Paul Redman is founding director of Handcrafted Films, an award winning independent UK-based production company with a wealth of experience in broadcast television, working with international development donors and Non-Governmental Organizations. Within the forestry sector we have produced films for the UK Government, the European Forestry Institute, the Ford Foundation and the Environmental Investigation Agency.
These films have influenced political debate in the timber sector and continue to be used at a ministerial level to advocate for greater involvement of indigenous communities. We work in partnership in all our work as it is this collaboration that gives accuracy and legitimacy to the handcrafted products we make.
More from the Filmmaker
The humble babassu palm provides a livelihood for communities of women across North Eastern Brazil. Bread, charcoal, oil, and soap are produced from the nut and husk; the surplus is sold on. But production has not always been so peaceful.
The Babassu warriors have battled hard to maintain their way of life. In the face of intimidation and threats from farmers for years, Babassu women have negotiated their own terms; establishing the Free Babassu Law in seven states. The law gives landless coconut gatherers rights to collect from palm groves. These inspiring women are now able to plan for the long-term, diversifying their business and securing their future. They fight for their families, their forests and the Amazon as a whole.
For more information on the Babassu movement, visit If Not Us Then Who?
