The Falling Sky

Narrated by Yanomami shaman and leader Davi Kopenawa, this breathtaking documentary traces his Indigenous Amazonian community’s preparations for a timeworn funeral rite said to hold up the sky – a ceremony that also galvanizes them in the battle to defend their homeland from illegal gold mining. The Yanomami had lived in relative isolation until the 1970s when a highway built under Brazil’s dictatorship exposed them to the ravages of those they call the “merchandise people”: outsiders exploiting nature for financial gain. With a sensitivity to their own status as interlopers and taking inspiration from Kopenawa’s 2010 book of the same name, directors Eryk Rocha and Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha let the Yanomami tell the story in their own words, highlighting the resilience of this ancient community and showcasing the natural wonder of the world they are fighting to protect.

Screen: “Keenly observational… such undaunted filmmaking, even when drawn out, renders The Falling Sky as urgent as its title demands.”

Cahiers du Cinéma: "This is one of the most beautiful plans that Cannes has offered us this year, all sections combined.”

The Hollywood Reporter: “A vivid portrait of an indigenous people’s urgent fight for survival… filled with beauty and fury… a potent film.”

Indiewire: “Tragically topical. A companion piece that captures the often apocalyptic teachings [Davi Kopenawa] preaches with lyrical visuals and a patient flow.”

The Film Verdict: “The shamanic and environmentalist struggle of the Yanomami is treated with knowledge and respect in this visually attractive documentary.”

RogerEbert: “Patient yet probing filmmaking."

Point Of View: “A unique and complicated portrait of life in the Amazon… The Falling Sky does justice to Kopenawa’s ideas at the forefront, with the feast of stunning visuals…"