GREEN GOLD
DOCUMENTARY
FORMAT
Feature Documentary
GENRE
Eco-Crime
Nature Documentary
BUDGET
$888k USD
SHOOT
4K
SYNOPSIS
In the heart of Mexico, local communities face a dire challenge: the tightening grip of narco-gangs over the booming avocado industry is threatening their precious environment and livelihoods. Madero is a village on the frontline – its pristine protected forests surrounded on all sides by ruthlessly expanding farms. As these operations encroach on Madero’s land, illegally deforesting and stealing water reserves, a brave group of activists is fighting back – risking their lives to secure their community’s sustainable future, against armed patrols who will stop at nothing to profiteer from the ‘Green Gold’ rush.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE • HUMAN RIGHTS • FOOD SYTEMS • ECO CRIMES • SUSTAINABILITY • LIVELIHOOD • COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
EXPLORE OUR PITCH-DECK
WATCH THE TEASER
BACKGROUND
"Green Gold" will develop in Michoacan, Mexico: the avocado capital of the world. Michoacan produces eight out of 10 Mexican avocados and six out of 10 globally. Over the past years, the role of Michoacan as the top avocado producer has become increasingly important as the fruit continues to gain popularity, particularly in North America, where consumption has grown by over 600% in the last 30 years just in the USA. The story of the avocado in Michoacan is very relevant: up until August 2022, it was the only state in Mexico authorized to export internationally, making the region an area of intense disputes as the demand for the fruit continues to rise yearly, but the land and water available to cultivate it do not. Avocado production is highly water-intensive; each fruit needs roughly 70 liters. Michoacan, however, is a vastly arid region with a growing water crisis and escalating water conflicts in some communities. The problem is even more pressing given the local loggers' insistence on continuing clandestine deforestation practices, moved by the economic incentive that replacing forests with croplands offers. The puzzle gets further complicated as, over the past couple of years, the industry has become a prime target for cartels, which have been seizing farms, common lands and clearing protected woodlands to plant their own groves of what locals call "oro verde" (green gold), which inspired the title of our project.
MEET THE FILMMAKERS
SÉLIM BENZEGHIA – Director
Sélim Benzeghia is a Franco-Algerian director and producer, and co-founder of Stake Films. He specializes in documentaries on social issues, including climate justice, human rights, and forced migration. His credits have included work for Nova Productions, France Télévision, and Radio Nova. His documentary “A Slide and Barbed Wire” (2023) aired on French National Television, received critical acclaim, and played a role in a UNICEF impact campaign that influenced policy changes regarding the detention of migrant children in France. Currently, with backing from The Rogovy Foundation and The Redford Center, Sélim is developing “Green Gold,” a feature documentary examining the environmental impact of avocado farming in Mexico. He was a resident at the 2023 Documentary Campus Masterschool and is a member of Collectif 50/50, which advocates for gender parity and diversity in the French film industry.
IVONNE SERNA – Director
Ivonne Serna is a Mexican-born independent filmmaker, specializing in environmental storytelling and exploring the intersections of political, economic, and social factors with ecological issues. Dedicated to diverse storytelling, Ivonne is attentive to amplifying the voices of women in media and communities of color. With roots in Michoacán, Mexico, and currently based in the United States, Ivonne maintains a global perspective on her work while staying connected to Latin American issues.
With three years of research experience at the National Geographic Society, Middlebury College, and Robin des Bois, Ivonne has honed her mission to popularize specialized knowledge and render intricate stories accessible to the public. She has strong field experience in Latin America and values co-participatory processes to ensure that the communities she works with are heard.
Ivonne's talent has been recognized through her selection for the prestigious non-fiction program Documentary Campus 2023, where she is developing her first feature-length documentary. Her latest short film "Sabor y Amor" premiered at the VTIFF Made Here film festival.
V I S U A L T O N E
DIRECTOR(S) STATEMENT
We are Sélim Benzeghia and Ivonne Serna, co-directors of the documentary "Green Gold," which delves into the socio-environmental impacts of avocado farming in Michoacán, Mexico. As filmmakers our journey has been deeply intertwined with our commitments to environmentalism and societal change. “Green Gold” embodies our mission to illuminate complex issues through a humanistic lens, promoting both understanding and actionable change. The Redford Center’s commitment to fostering films that drive tangible impact resonates deeply with our own values, and it is for this reason we are eager to become Redford Center supported filmmakers.
"Green Gold" marks a significant evolution in our creative practice. For Sélim building on his previous work, this project represents a deeper immersion into the complex interplay of local actions and their global repercussions. As for Ivonne, this is her debut feature documentary, an opportunity to delve into the heart of her homeland, intertwining personal experiences with broader environmental concerns. Together, we hope to use this film to move beyond traditional documentary storytelling to integrate data visualizations, satellite imagery, and community-driven narratives to illustrate the global impacts of local environmental actions. This film also expands our creative horizons by employing innovative narrative techniques, integrating archival footage with current events to offer a compelling, multifaceted perspective.
Success for us is defined not just by viewership numbers but by the ability to provoke thought and inspire action. We aim to leave our audience with a nuanced understanding of the issues, equipped to discuss and address the environmental and social challenges depicted in our film. It's about creating a documentary that offers more than just information—it offers perspectives that are accessible and engaging for diverse audiences.
