Maria Farinha Films and Globo’s New Environmental Thriller ARUANAS Sounds The Alarm On The Threat To The Amazon Rainforest

Globo and Maria Farinha Films have announced that environmental thriller ARUANAS will premiere worldwide in more than 150 countries on 2nd July. The ten-part series has a very clear goal: to warn against the global environmental crisis and promote the appreciation and protection of the extraordinary work of activists.

Three idealistic friends - Nathalie (Débora Falabella), Luiza (Leandra Leal) and Veronica (Taís Araújo) - set up Aruana, an ENGO that investigates the activities of a mining company operating in the Amazon rainforest. It is a place of harsh reality where strange events occur: an anonymous cry for help, people mysteriously falling ill, assassination and threats to indigenous people. The activists, each one following their own investigative leads, have discovered evidence of a renowned national mining company running an illegal project. While these women unravel a dangerous web of environmental crime and secrets, they also must deal with their own ghosts and personal dramas. The fictional story has been informed by real world experiences and research, in partnership with over 20 global NGOs.

A Globo and Maria Farinha Films co-production, ‘Aruanas’ goes far beyond the action-thriller genre by shedding light on the debate about the conservation of biodiversity and the future of life on Earth. Written and created by Estela Renner and Marcos Nisti, with the collaboration of Pedro Barros, the series seeks to shine a spotlight on the importance of environmental advocates, who work at the risk of their own lives to defend justice, equality, and a more sustainable world for society and future generations.

Directed by Carlos Manga Jr. and Estela Renner, the series brought Greenpeace on board as a technical collaborator with MFF responsible for the social impact of the campaign garnering support from 22 of the most important environmental and human rights organisations in the world, including: Amnesty International, WWF, Global Witness, UN Environment, UN Women, Open Society Foundations, Instituto Betty & Jacob Lafer, Rainforest Foundation, Avaaz, 350.org, Instituto Socioambiental,  Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM), SOS Mata Atlântica Foundation, IMAZON, Conectas Human Rights, Justiça Global, ISER, Greenfaith and Articulation of the Indigenous People of Brazil (APIB). Globo and Maria Farinha Films hold international distribution rights.

Sustainability beyond just the theme
In ‘Aruanas’, sustainability and respect for the environment are themes that blur the lines between fiction and reality and permeate the entire series. Reflecting the commitment to sustainability and social responsibility of Globo and Maria Farinha, the first audiovisual production company in Brazil to receive a B Corp certification. Production reduced its carbon footprint, recycling and reusing 90% of all its costumes, in an effort aimed to cut down on waste. Besides the cast and director, the 47% of the crew are women, an initiative to promote gender equality and empower women. The cast includes 131-bit part actors and 2000 extras and background actors, of which 33.8% live in the Amazonian rainforest region.

Distribution and global reach
‘Aruanas’ will premiere worldwide on 2nd July in more than 150 countries, with subtitles in 11 different languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Dutch, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, Turkish and Korean. The series will be made available on aruanas.tv, a platform powered by Vimeo, where it can be purchased for US$ 12,90. In Brazil, ‘Aruanas’ will be made fully available on Globoplay, the streaming platform of the Globo Group. In a special broadcast on July 3rd, the first episode will be aired on Globo, the largest free-to-air TV channel in Brazil, reaching 100 million viewers a day. The first episode will also be made available on Globo’s international channels to its 4 million subscribers.

Due to the relevance and pressing nature of the series, ‘Aruanas’ will premiere worldwide, with pre-screenings in London on 18th June, New York on 24th June and in Brazil – in Sao Paulo on 27th June. In Portugal, the premiere screening event will be held in July, the date is yet to be confirmed. Journalists, digital influencers, activists, environmental and social experts, and heads of organisations and government agencies have been invited to the screenings. In July, a network of activists and donors, chosen by key NGO’s, will be able to watch the full series firsthand and for free to act as champions to help raise awareness of issues related to the Amazon rainforest.

For a sustainable future
Although ‘Aruanas’ is a fictional series its main inspiration comes from real life. The ten episode first season is set in the Amazon rainforest, a backdrop which offers a vital insight into global challenges such as environmental conservation and climate change. In 2018 alone, the Amazon recorded a deforestation increase of 14%, the worst rate in a decade*.

‘Aruanas’ speaks about idealism without ever losing sight of human vulnerability. In the series, the activists do not take on the role of heroes, but rather that of ordinary people who go to work every day for a cause they passionately believe in, not knowing for sure if they will make it back home safely. For three consecutive years Brazil has occupied first place in a global ranking as the deadliest country for activists – in 2017 alone, 57 activists were murdered, 80% of them were defenders of nature.

When environmental activists start becoming statistics, what is most striking is the appalling invisibility of this situation, the lack of awareness and recognition of these people whose life purpose is to protect the natural environment, fight against illegal deforestation and mining activities, combat the invasion of indigenous lands, safeguard rivers from contamination and so many other criminal practices that devastate the natural environment.
Shouldn’t we be joining efforts with those who work to ensure the Earth’s capacity to nurture life? This is the question raised by the series.

‘Aruanas’ is an invitation to dream of a more just and sustainable future. It is entertainment but with a pressing and important global cause at its core, taking the debate about the conservation of rainforests and the work of environmental activists to the whole world.

About Maria Farinha Films 

In its 10-years of existence, Maria Farinha Films has created series and films, such as “The Beginning of Life”, that advance social environmental agendas. It is the first B Corp film production company in Latin America. 

About Globo
Being one of the world’s leading communications company requires great creativity, professionalism and investment in quality and innovation. Globo produces close to 3,000 annual hours of drama and entertainment, as well as over 3,000 hours of journalism. Programs, series and interviews with a high standard of quality that have received over 90 nominations in the International Emmy Awards and won 17 awards. The company has also had its works screened in renowned international festivals such as the Berlinale (Germany), Series Maria (France) and TIFF (Canada). Currently, the network covers 98.6% of Brazilian territory, reaching 99.5% of the population 122 affiliated broadcasting stations throughout the country. More than 90% of the network's programming is produced in-house, making Globo the country's largest job provider for artists, writers, journalists and producers.