About

Saracura is where filmmaking from below meets history from below. It’s a journey of discovery, alignment, and honoring the invisible narratives of a resilient Quilombola community—their ancestry, hidden memories, and ongoing fight against the climate crisis.

The initial phase of the project was funded through personal savings, loans, and support from friends. In early 2023, as an Artist in Exile, I began immersing myself in the world of Quilombola communities in Amazonia. Later that year, I traveled to Santarém, Brazil, with the support of the Federation of Quilombola Communities of Santarém (FOQS).Over four weeks, I visited nine Quilombos in the region, engaging in deep conversations with leaders and communities. Among them, I chose Saracura—“the fallen island”—as the focus of my work, drawn by their bold frontline fight against the climate crisis through recurring droughts and floods. During my time there, I witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of historic droughts, record-low river levels (the Amazon’s highways), and widespread fires, both natural and man-made. These disasters imperiled wildlife, flora, and the people who call the region home. The experience was a visceral reminder of nature’s interconnectedness—how a butterfly’s wings in the Amazon can stir a storm on the other side of the world. Saracura is a living testament to that delicate balance,and the resilience of its people inspired every step of this project.

My filmmaking thrives on urgency. Both Sengadal: The Dead Sea and Maadathy: An Unfairy Tale emerged from grassroots collaborations with marginalized communities, sustained by crowdfunding and activist networks. Saracura follows this tradition. With 23000CAD raised so far, through the ongoing crowdfunding support and 12000CAD awarded as development grant by Toronto Arts Council Grant, I and my team have produced a proof of concept and a pitch deck. I now seek Co-Producers to amplify this urgent story of environmental and cultural resistance. 

For me, the Amazon is not just the lungs of our planet but it’s beating heart, kept alive by the Quilombolas’ unyielding spirit.Centuries ago, the Quilombolas escaped colonial oppression to build their own resilient African kingdoms. Today, they are on the frontlines again, resisting capitalist forces to defend their ancestral lands, the rainforest, the rivers, their culture, Black identity, and the region’s rich biodiversity. 

My determination to bring this film to life is fueled by the Quilombolas’ resistance and the solidarity of the Global South. 

Leena Manimekalai

Writer - Director - Producer