Announcing the winner of the Amazon Film Grant
One World Media is delighted to announce the winner of the Amazon Film Grant, in collaboration with Mongabay, the independent media organization reporting on nature. Following an open call across the Amazon region, we have now selected a grantee from over 50 applications.
Filmmaker Felipe Esparza Pérez from Peru will receive funding and support through the One World Media Fellowship to produce a short documentary exploring clean mining practices that aim to reduce environmental damage in one of the planet’s most threatened ecosystems.
Felipe says, “I am drawn to stories that explore the margins of representation, especially how media frames entire communities through simplified and stigmatized narratives.”
His film Clean Gold will follow two miners and close friends: Lucila, a formal miner in the Madre de Dios of Peru who rejects mercury and uses a gravimetric table to extract gold responsibly, and her friend Ángel, who still relies on mercury, by necessity rather than by choice. Their contrasting methods reveal the tension between ecological responsibility and economic survival that shapes artisanal mining across the region.
“In Madre de Dios, artisanal miners are often portrayed only as destroyers of the forest, with little attention given to the intimate realities of their lives, the systemic corruption that sustains illegal economies, or the efforts of those who seek sustainable change.” adds Felipe. “By focusing on Lucila and Ángel, I want to present a more nuanced, human perspective that emphasizes resilience, contradiction, and the possibility of transformation.”
“This announcement is a celebration of creative excellence and a commitment to amplifying voices that are driving change. We are beyond excited to award this grant to a filmmaker whose vision captures that spirit and pushes the boundaries of global storytelling.”
— Lucia Torres, Video Managing Editor, Mongabay
“Felipe’s access to this intimate story stood out immediately. His film will bring rare nuance to the realities of gold mining in the Amazon and to the people whose lives are intertwined with its environmental and social challenges. The piece also aligns with One World Media’s commitment to expand public understanding and contribute to informed, lasting solutions.”
— Lisya Yafet, Senior Programme Manager, One World Media
Felipe Esparza Pérez is a Peruvian filmmaker whose work has screened internationally, including at Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin, Rotterdam International Film Festival and Biennale Videobrasil, among others. His debut feature Cielo Abierto won the ILO Award for Decent Work at the Lima Film Festival in 2023. With on-the-ground experience filming in the Amazon, he brings the know-how to create an ethically grounded piece that illuminates marginalized communities and ecological struggles.
As extractive industries continue to threaten ecosystems and communities across the Amazon, One World Media is proud to partner with Mongabay to support local storytellers who are dedicated to shining a light on these urgent challenges.
You can find more info about the Amazon Film Grant here.