JURUÁ

A Documentary Film

Deep in the western Amazon, where the Juruá River winds through one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, communities live in rhythm with the forest. Along its banks, families harvest food from the landscape, travel by river, and rely on traditions that have sustained life here for generations.

JURUÁ is an intimate documentary exploring the lives of these river communities and the fragile balance between rainforest stewardship and economic survival.

Among the stories emerging from this region is the work of Brazilian chocolate maker Luisa Abram, whose small-batch chocolate company partners with families along the Juruá River to harvest one of the world’s rarest ingredients: wild cacao growing naturally in the Amazon forest.

Unlike plantation cacao, these trees grow wild along remote riverbanks and are gathered by local families using traditional methods. The cacao is fermented and dried within the community before being transformed into chocolate. By paying significantly higher prices for this rare wild cacao, Abram and her partners are helping build a forest-based economy—one that rewards protecting the rainforest rather than clearing it.

At the same time, communities are expanding the future of cacao through Sustainable Agroforestry Systems (SAFs)—planting cacao alongside native forest species in diverse, living landscapes. These systems help make cacao harvests more reliable while restoring areas that were previously cleared, allowing degraded land to gradually return to forest.

Through stories like this, JURUÁ reveals a powerful truth: the future of the rainforest is inseparable from the people who call it home.

Why This Film Matters

The Amazon is often discussed through statistics about deforestation and climate change, yet the voices of the communities living there are rarely centered.

JURUÁ shifts that narrative by highlighting real examples of resilience, stewardship, and innovation, where traditional knowledge and emerging partnerships are helping protect one of the planet’s most vital ecosystems.

Themes explored in the film include:

• rainforest conservation
• wild food systems and biodiversity
• indigenous and river community livelihoods
• sustainable forest economies

Funding Request

We are currently raising $20,000 in completion funding to finish production, post-production,
and launch the film’s festival and impact campaign.

We are seeking mission-aligned partners to contribute toward the completion of the film.

Partnership opportunities
$5K Supporting Producer
$10K Impact Partner
$20K+ Executive Producer

Support will directly fund:

• final filming in the Juruá region
• editorial and post-production
• color, sound design, and finishing
• film festival submissions and premiere
• community screenings and impact outreach

Partnership Benefits

Partners supporting the film will receive:

• Executive Producer or Supporting Producer credit (depending on contribution level)
• recognition in the film’s opening or closing credits
• partnership visibility in screenings and promotional materials
• opportunities to co-host screenings and events
• alignment with a powerful environmental storytelling project

Audience & Distribution

JURUÁ is designed for audiences interested in environmental storytelling, regenerative food systems, and cultural connection.

Planned distribution includes:

• international film festivals
• environmental and food system conferences
• nonprofit and university screenings
• streaming and broadcast platforms

About LUISA Abram

Luisa Abram is a Brazilian bean-to-bar chocolate maker whose work focuses on rare wild cacao found deep in the Amazon. By working directly with communities along the River, she is helping build a forest economy that rewards protecting the rainforest rather than clearing it.

About the FILMMAKERS

Andrew Bydlon is a filmmaker and photographer whose work explores the intersection of landscape, food systems, and the people shaping them. His documentary work focuses on intimate, human-driven storytelling that connects audiences to place, culture, and the natural world.

Matt Coddaire is a filmmaker and editor with more than two decades of experience shaping documentary and branded stories. Known for finding the emotional core within a narrative, his work blends cinematic craft with an instinct for authentic human moments. Matt has collaborated with global brands and creative teams to create films that are both visually striking and deeply grounded in story.

Contact

Andrew Bydlon
Director / Director of Photography
E: hello@andrewbydlon.com
P: 763.458.9868

SAY HELLO

“In the depths of the Amazon, a rare wild cacao reveals a surprising path to saving the rainforest.”