We Women Warriors grants an intimate passage into several of Colombia's war-torn indigenous communities guided by three women from distinct tribes who illuminate struggles for indigenous rights, justice and dignity.
In Colombia there are 102 aboriginal groups, one-third of which are in danger of extinction because of the ongoing conflict. Native people are being slain by the armed forces, paramilitary groups and insurgent armies that vie to control tribal lands to import arms and export drugs. Trapped in a protracted predicament financed by the drug trade, indigenous women are resourcefully leading and creating transformation imbued with hope.
We Women Warriors bears witness to rights abuses and interweaves character-driven stories about female empowerment, unshakable courage and faith in the survival of indigenous culture.
Director's Statement
While working as a correspondent in Colombia I learned that nearly one-third of the nation's 102 indigenous groups are in danger of extinction because of the violence. Native people are disproportionately slain by the army, paramilitary and insurgent fighters who vie to control their tribal land to import arms and export drugs. My growing awareness of these ongoing atrocities compelled me to make this film.
Indigenous populations are subjected to the wrath of army, paramilitary fighters and insurgent groups that perpetrate disappearances, forced displacements, massacres, the confinement of entire communities and executions of tribal leaders.
As a woman, I was drawn to telling this story through the point of view of several female leaders I had the good fortune of meeting. When I met the film's protagonists Doris, Ludis and Flor in 2006, they were each facing complicated choices, representative of the many life-and-death situations in Colombia that remain unbeknownst to many. The objective in making We Women Warriors was to shine a light on these remarkable female leaders who were using peaceful methods to transform their lives and transcend oppression.
Using my hard-earned access as a journalist, I traveled between several villages during three years to chronicle a few exceptional native women using the wisdom of words and the tribal tradition of collective actions to defend themselves amid ongoing combat. Fluent in Spanish, and savvy about traveling in Colombia's conflict zones, I sometimes became a one-person production team, shooting alone in the Colombian countryside. At other times, I traveled and worked with a small, committed Colombian crew.
I lived in Colombia for seven years and shot this film, mostly during 2006-2009. It's a great privilege that these incredible women and communities entrusted me with their stories despite the risks involved. It is this trust that translates into the access the film captures, intimately sharing the lives of these brave women.
Official Site
In Colombia there are 102 aboriginal groups, one-third of which are in danger of extinction because of the ongoing conflict. Native people are being slain by the armed forces, paramilitary groups and insurgent armies that vie to control tribal lands to import arms and export drugs. Trapped in a protracted predicament financed by the drug trade, indigenous women are resourcefully leading and creating transformation imbued with hope.
We Women Warriors bears witness to rights abuses and interweaves character-driven stories about female empowerment, unshakable courage and faith in the survival of indigenous culture.
Director's Statement
While working as a correspondent in Colombia I learned that nearly one-third of the nation's 102 indigenous groups are in danger of extinction because of the violence. Native people are disproportionately slain by the army, paramilitary and insurgent fighters who vie to control their tribal land to import arms and export drugs. My growing awareness of these ongoing atrocities compelled me to make this film.
Indigenous populations are subjected to the wrath of army, paramilitary fighters and insurgent groups that perpetrate disappearances, forced displacements, massacres, the confinement of entire communities and executions of tribal leaders.
As a woman, I was drawn to telling this story through the point of view of several female leaders I had the good fortune of meeting. When I met the film's protagonists Doris, Ludis and Flor in 2006, they were each facing complicated choices, representative of the many life-and-death situations in Colombia that remain unbeknownst to many. The objective in making We Women Warriors was to shine a light on these remarkable female leaders who were using peaceful methods to transform their lives and transcend oppression.
Using my hard-earned access as a journalist, I traveled between several villages during three years to chronicle a few exceptional native women using the wisdom of words and the tribal tradition of collective actions to defend themselves amid ongoing combat. Fluent in Spanish, and savvy about traveling in Colombia's conflict zones, I sometimes became a one-person production team, shooting alone in the Colombian countryside. At other times, I traveled and worked with a small, committed Colombian crew.
I lived in Colombia for seven years and shot this film, mostly during 2006-2009. It's a great privilege that these incredible women and communities entrusted me with their stories despite the risks involved. It is this trust that translates into the access the film captures, intimately sharing the lives of these brave women.
Official Site
VIDEO WE WOMEN WARRIORS
Do you have time to film and journalism the struggle of the Women Warriors of Standing Rock in North Dakota?