Screened as part of TOAFF16

This immersive film charts the clash between Peru’s president, hungry for economic legitimacy, and his country’s most outspoken environmentalist, desperate to protect indigenous lands from destruction.

Upon signing the 2008 Free Trade Agreement between Peru and the U.S.A, President Garcia opened up rainforest territory to foreign logging, oil, gas, and mining companies. The absence of consultation and the threat posed to previously protected lands led to fierce opposition from indigenous Amazonian groups, headed by Alberto Pizango. As the government continued to ignore their pleas, a tense war of words erupting into deadly violence.

Filmed over eight years, When Two Worlds Collide captures a volatile political and environmental crisis and explores the power imbalance between those conserving their natural environment and those determined to monetise it. With breathtaking access, it highlights the conflicting visions that are shaping the fate of the Amazon – and our planet.