The Guardians

Mencay, a 26-year-old Waorani woman born in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador, returns to the city after visiting her 88 year old grandmother, who is losing her memory and no longer recognizes her. Mencay feels lost, uncertain whether to continue her nursing studies or seek a different path that she has yet to discover. In an effort to find herself, she distances herself from the church and explores city life, going out at night and making new friends, though this too doesn't seem to be the path she's looking for. Meanwhile, the ancestral Waorani territory, the Yasuní, the most biodiverse area on the planet and rich in oil, is at risk of being exploited and completely destroyed. To prevent this, historic votes are held for the Yasuní, marking the first time an Indigenous territory is put to a vote to decide whether it will be exploited by oil companies. The vote results in favor of non-exploitation, but despite this outcome, the Ecuadorian government disregards the decision and continues with the exploitation. Outraged, Mencay begins to feel a duty to protect her territory, and her life takes a new direction. Thanks to three of her friends, women leaders Dayuma, Silvana, and Ene, she learns about defending the territory, politics, and women's rights. For the first time in her life, Mencay begins to empower herself, reconnecting with her grandmother and her origins, discovering her mission and her dream: to bring these women leaders to Europe to have their voices heard and to one day become a leader herself.