This documentary follows four international advocates fighting to secure legal rights and protections for ecosystems. From Ecuador’s constitutional innovation to Spain’s breakthrough for the Mar Menor lagoon, the film explores how legal frameworks transform humanity’s relationship with nature.
In the Galápagos, a sea lion pup and his companions face escalating threats: climate-driven scarcity, illegal fishing, and habitat disruption. As the colony struggles, a dramatic escape offers a glimpse of hope — and a sobering reminder that survival now depends on collective action. The Defiance is a rallying call to safeguard life in every way possible.
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Together, these Guardians offer a global perspective on the Rights of Nature movement, showcasing cases from three continents and highlighting how this commitment is emerging worldwide. Their stories emphasize that every perspective is crucial in addressing the existential challenges facing our planet.
Teresa
Teresa, aged 61, is a professor of philosophy of law at the University of Murcia and serves as deputy director of the Center for Cooperation and Development Studies. She led a grassroots campaign to save the Mar Menor ecosystem—Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon—from collapse. Her efforts resulted in a groundbreaking law passed in September 2022, granting the lagoon unique legal rights. Teresa’s advocacy demonstrates the importance of legal recognition in protecting fragile ecosystems.
Eva
At just 18 years old, Eva embodies the power of youth activism. She was one of the 16 teenage plaintiffs who made headlines in August 2023 by winning a landmark climate lawsuit against the state of Montana, USA. Their argument was simple yet profound—Montana’s support for the fossil fuel industry violated their constitutional right to a “clean and healthy environment.” This victory set a significant legal precedent in environmental law and highlighted the critical role of young voices in driving change.
Eduardo
A Spanish legal scholar in his fifties, Eduardo never imagined that the Rights of Nature would become central to his career. As part of the team that fought for the Mar Menor lagoon to gain legal personhood, Eduardo helped achieve Europe’s first legal recognition of an ecosystem. His work has inspired a new generation of legal professionals to defend nature, showcasing the pivotal role of legal expertise in advancing environmental protection.
Gabriel
In his thirties, Gabriel served as a member of parliament in Panama. Together with marine biologist Callie Veelenturf, he introduced pioneering legislation to protect Panama’s sea turtles. The law includes habitat restoration, pollution prevention, and measures to combat severe environmental degradation. Gabriel’s story underscores the importance of translating ecological concerns into enforceable laws.
Natalie
An Australian environmental biologist and conservation geneticist, Dr. Schmitt brings scientific rigor to the Rights of Nature movement. With experience studying humpback whales in Antarctica and sea lions in the Galapagos Islands, she combines her research with advocacy. Natalie’s scientific insights lend crucial credibility to the movement, grounding it in empirical evidence.
Adam
As senior executive at Walt Disney Studios, president of National Geographic Films, and working independently, Adam has been a producer, distributor, or supervising executive on 38 films that have disrupted expectations, including Academy Award-winning March of the Penguins – the highest-grossing nature film ever made, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Dead Poets Society, Titus and The Way Back. Adam's movies have won or been nominated for 10 Academy Awards, 11 BAFTA Awards, 2 Golden Globes, 2 Emmys, 2 Directors Guild Awards, 4 Sundance Awards and 4 Independent Spirit Awards. A Plastic Ocean, one of his recent documentaries, has inspired more than 150 new laws around the world. Adam has guided and advised dozens of companies and individuals in film production, international finance, and high- impact storytelling. He is CEO of MediaU, providing accelerated training and mentoring at scale for the media industries; professional faculty at UC Berkeley’s esteemed Haas School of Business; and author of two books on filmmaking published by Macmillan.
Meredith
Producer, attorney and social entrepreneur with 30 years of experience in storytelling and social change. Meredith leads Storied Nation, producing impactful content and mobilizing audiences. Prior to Storied Nation, Meredith founded and ran ProSocial, collaborating with giants like Amazon Studios, Sony, Apple and Hulu to maximize the impact of their content. Meredith is also known for having built the impact division of Participant media while serving as Executive Vice President at the studio. At Participant, Meredith had the honor of creating the social action campaign that accompanied the release of Vice President Al Gore’s Oscar-winning documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth.” Meredith excels in fundraising, advising on strategic media projects, and speaks at major industry events. She's on various boards, part of the Pleiades Network promoting women's leadership, and her recent projects include producing "UnCharitable" by Stephen Gyllenhaal and executive producing "Mending the Line" released by Sony Pictures and "Forgiving Johnny” by Oscar-winning Director Ben Proudfoot and released by Time.com.
Luis
Italian-Ecuadorian director Luis Felipe, known for his visually rich and socially driven films, captures the beauty of South America while pioneering realismo fantástico. From early acclaim at Cannes with El Cazador to his powerful Human Rights Watch collaboration Highway of Tears, his work spans continents and causes. Notable projects include Kanyamakan, the first Moroccan film screened at Jemaa el Fna Square, and A Son of Man, Ecuador’s Oscar entry. His recent short Waorani premiered at the European Parliament and won at the Rhode Island Film Festival, cementing his role as a global voice for environmental and human rights.
Sunyata
Sunyata Films is a film production company founded by Xavier Guerrero Yamamoto and Claire Montandon, based in Belgium. Committed to creating artistic and innovative content, it produces fiction films, socially and environmentally impactful documentaries, as well as virtual reality (VR) projects currently in development. Among its achievements, "Lions of the Sea" stands out as a major documentary focused on the preservation of the Galápagos marine ecosystems. With a strong desire to explore new technologies, Sunyata Films works on immersive projects that push the boundaries of traditional cinema, incorporating innovative narrative and visual techniques. Thanks to the Belgian tax shelter system, the company is able to finance its ambitions while reaching an international audience.
Audrey
Belgian director and journalist Audrey Lavis has always had a passion for human stories and visuals. Ever since she was a child, this passion has been expressed through photography but also through her curiosity, among others by spending a year living immersed in an American family. With a Master's degree in press and information, specialized in European journalism from IHECS (Brussels), she always had a strong interest in international news and she began her career moving into broadcasting. Since then, she worked on various magazines and documentaries (Coûte que Coûte, Reporters, Appel d’urgence, série “2030 avec Laurent Mathieu”, Brussels 58: the new capital, etc.) broadcast on Belgian and French national channels such as RTL TVI, RTBF, TF1, as well as international channels like TV5 Monde. One of her last pieces was entitled “Overweight teenagers: one year to rebuild their lives”. During one year, she followed five teenagers living in a center trying to lose weight, to rebuild and to accept themselves. She followed their journey filled with doubts, fears and hopes. With a burning desire to discover and understand the world in all its forms, she has covered a wide range of subjects from social and environmental issues to society, historical and cultural topics. Fascinated by human beings, Audrey has always thought that life is learned through meeting people, confronting realities of others and sharing experiences. She sincerely believes that filmmaking has an essential role to play in our society, trying to have an impact and make a difference. Through images, people’s voices and storytelling, she hopes to open people’s mind and to make them facing realities they have never explored.