The Guardians

Every year majestic Monarch butterflies make their way on a 3,000-mile journey from Canada to their winter home in the ancient forests of Michoacán, Mexico, and it is here that the struggling community of Donaciano Ojeda strives to preserve the delicate balance between humans and nature. Once dependent on logging, they now face the difficult task of building a sustainable future in their ancestral lands that are now part of the protected Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. As one villager observes, “If the forest disappears, mankind will follow.” Along the way, we get rare access to the sometimes divisive community meetings, follow the volunteer armed patrol that guards against the threat of illegal logging, and meet members of the community—who have begun a successful reforesting program. In this visually stunning and thought-provoking film, we are given the rare opportunity to gain a new perspective on the environmental challenges that face us all. | CALIFORNIA PREMIERE

IN PERSON: Directors Tessa Moran, Ben Crosbie

Sponsored by:
Teresa Wolf

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