Nature's Guardians

Nature’s Guardians — A Global Movement to Defend the Living World

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About the movie

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Nature’s Guardians is a feature documentary directed by Audrey Lavis and produced by Adam Leipzig (March of the Penguins, A Plastic Ocean), Meredith Blake (An Inconvenient Truth, UnCharitable) and Xavier Guerrero (Cinema Libre Studio). The film follows four remarkable individuals from across the world as they fight to give legal rights to nature — from the Amazon to Europe’s Mar Menor lagoon. Combining powerful storytelling, intimate human journeys, and stunning cinematography, the film sheds light on one of the most transformative environmental movements of our time: the global recognition of the Rights of Nature.

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The Project's Genesis

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Nature’s Guardians is more than just a title — it represents a powerful global movement captured in an inspiring documentary dedicated to the defense of the Earth and the living systems that sustain it.

At its core, the project highlights how new legal and cultural tools are being used to protect nature in fundamentally transformative ways, redefining how humans interact with the planet’s forests, rivers, lagoons, and oceans.The documentary explores a sweeping Rights of Nature movement, where ecosystems themselves — not just human interests — are increasingly recognized as entities deserving legal protection. This approach treats rivers, forests, and other natural systems as living entities with rights, giving them standing in courts and under law.
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Through a series of real-world stories from around the globe, Nature’s Guardians reveals the urgency of this legal evolution in the face of accelerating climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and habitat destruction.

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Across continents and cultures, the film introduces us to activists, legal pioneers, scientists, and communities pushing the boundaries of environmental protection:

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• In the United States, young climate activists made international headlines by successfully challenging state policy in court, asserting their constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment — a victory that set an important legal precedent and emphasized the power of youth voices in environmental justice.

• In Panama, legislators worked alongside marine biologists to legislate protections for sea turtles, combining scientific knowledge with policy to safeguard critical habitats and prevent severe degradation.

• In Spain, legal scholars helped secure legal personhood for the fragile Mar Menor lagoon, marking one of Europe’s first recognitions of an ecosystem as a rights-bearing entity, inspiring a new generation of environmental advocates and jurists.

• In the Galápagos Islands, scientists merge research with advocacy, documenting the striking beauty and vulnerability of marine life — from sea lions to endemic species — while underscoring the mounting threats they face from climate disruption and illegal activities.

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By weaving these narratives together, Nature’s Guardians sheds light on the compelling idea that safeguarding ecosystems requires innovative legal frameworks, collective action, and a reimagined relationship between humans and the natural world. The documentary not only illustrates the challenges our planet confronts but also paints an inspiring picture of how laws, communities, and individuals can elevate nature from a background concern to a central priority for justice and survival.

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In essence, Nature’s Guardians is a call to action: it invites audiences to witness how legal tools can empower ecosystems, how courageous people can become real defenders of the living world, and how collective effort can shift global perspectives on conservation and environmental rights.

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More than just a movie

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More than a film, Nature’s Guardians is designed as a tool for transformation. Aligned with major milestones such as the COP Climate Conferences and the United Nations Ocean Conference, the documentary aims to influence policymakers, NGOs, and businesses while inspiring citizens to demand legal frameworks that recognize nature as a living partner in our shared future.

In partnership with the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN) and other international institutions, the film’s global impact campaign will feature educational screenings, expert panels, and collaborations with universities and cultural networks to amplify the movement’s reach. Building on real-world victories and concrete solutions, Nature’s Guardians seeks to help the public understand the urgency and importance of defending nature — and to join a movement that is reshaping the future of environmental protection.

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From the screen to the European Parliament
Rights for Nature - European Citizen Initiative

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Newframes and Nature's Guardians are proud partners of the Rights For Nature - European Citizens' Initiative — a landmark democratic movement demanding that the EU legally recognise ecosystems as living entities with rights of their own. Under current European law, nature has no legal standing: it cannot be represented in court, it cannot defend itself, and its protection depends entirely on political will. The ECI seeks to change that structurally, by granting rivers, forests, and ecosystems legal personhood — the same logic already applied to companies and institutions — so that citizens can act as their guardians before the law.

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