Green Gold

Michoacán, Mexico – the world's avocado capital. Every six minutes, an avocado-filled truck leaves its borders. Vast vibrant orchards stretch as far as the eye can see. And nestled within them is Madero, a tight-knit community which, like many others, faces an existential threat. In the mid-2000s, Michoacán secured exclusive export rights to the U.S., and the avocado became so profitable that locals named it ‘Green Gold’. Soon, cartels whose drug empires had been shut down, spotted an opportunity to pivot. And with their arrival came an escalation in illegal land clearances and water theft – all underpinned by the threat of violence. It’s no coincidence that, in 2022, Mexico was named by Global Witness as the most dangerous place on earth to be an environmental defender. The ancestral forests that surround Madero are squeezed on all sides by avocado farms, whose only room for growth is now into Madero’s lands. The intersection of vast agribusiness and organized crime creates an environmental and social nightmare. This small community is at risk of irreversible harm. But it’s not going down without a fight... Our story revolves around four protagonists: Julio, Memo, María, and Javi. Javi is Madero’s sentinel. Day in, day out, he patrols its borders using car, quad-bike, horse, or foot to reach all corners on his search for new deforestation, illegal planting, and water theft. When he finds it, he radios in to log the details. "Rompecorazones" (Heartbreaker) – Memo’s codename - is on the other end of the line. Urgency is key, because this is dangerous work. The cartels have armed patrols who might be listening, and who won’t hesitate to eliminate any threat to their activities. Only recently, Javi narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt. Memo knows these dangers all too well. It takes 70 liters of water to produce one avocado, and the community’s water reserves face regular attack from criminal operations. When Memo protested too loudly, he was kidnapped and tortured as an example to others not to underestimate how fragile their existence now is. Undeterred, he now coordinates Madero’s 20 environmental committees from his fortified mountain cabin. Ranging from individuals like Javi to twenty-strong teams, these are the lifeblood of the grassroots resistance. Their mission is to gather intelligence that can be shared with Mexico’s environmental authorities to expose the illegal appropriation of land and resources. As a high-profile figure known to the local cartels, Memo and his family live under Mexico’s highest level of state protection. SWAT teams are such a regular fixture at his home that his 11-year-old daughter thinks nothing of seeing armed forces walk through. María, Memo’s resolute wife, is not so comfortable with the situation. Traumatized by his abduction, she is nonetheless her husband’s greatest ally, and her commitment to securing Madero’s future is unwavering. Caregiver, mother, and frontline warrior, she is the heartbeat of this story. Through every patrol and community gathering, her passion is clear – and she’s focused on bringing women into the movement by emphasizing the importance of unity in the face of adversity. Rounding off our central characters is Julio, a selftaught journalist who was the catalyst for Madero’s environmental activism. After nearly losing his ancestral home to uncontrolled fires that were lit to clear land for avocado orchards, he vowed to highlight the destructive impacts of the industry. He is the messenger between the community and the environmental police, sharing the evidence gathered in the hope that action will be taken against the illegal operations. Through his writings, he also seeks to hold the authorities to account, underscoring the state’s appalling track record in tackling environmental and social offenses. And he hopes his articles will reach a wider audience – bringing the human cost of the avocado industry to the attention of decision-makers and consumers with the power to lobby for change. For the sake of balance, our story will also feature the perspective of an avocado grower – because aside from the devastating problems caused by the industry, avocado farming is an important source of wealth creation, employment, and opportunity for many in Michoacán. The objective of this film is not to demonize the avocado, the business of avocado farming, or the preferences of the world’s lovers of avo-on-toast. Its aim is to shine a light on an aspect of the industry that is little-known and that comes with a heavy price for those communities who are virtually powerless in the face of ruthless profiteering by criminal groups. Green Gold paints a vivid picture of a village plagued by environmental degradation and cartel violence, as it fiercely defends its heritage and future. The film immerses viewers in the resilience of this community, exemplified by leaders like Memo and María. Through their eyes, viewers navigate the balance of hope and despair, witnessing the transformation of ordinary citizens into beacons of change. The film aims for a hopeful conclusion: urging leaders, viewers, and consumers to ponder their part in forging a sustainable future. A future of coexisting prosperity and conservation, where fortunes thrive without devastating sacrifices.