Céline Cousteau is a humanitarian and environmental activist working with a variety of media, ranging from documentaries to art, from consulting with corporations and foundations, to public speaking. As a documentary film director, producer, and presenter, Cousteau is the founder and executive director of CauseCentric Productions, which creates cause-focused content. In 2015 she co-founded The Outdoor Film Fellowship, a nonprofit program whose mission is to empower the next generation of filmmakers, creatives, and activists to inspire change through leadership, film, and the arts.
“Tribes on the Edge” is now available on iTunes, Amazon, and additional platforms.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
CC: The story is based on the life of the Indigenous peoples of the Javari territory in the Brazilian Amazon and the many challenges they face due to illegal activities that threaten their land and life. What is at risk is no less than human life.
The more universal story is about our relationship to the environment and our understanding of our interconnection with the Indigenous people as guardians of an ecosystem we depend on for the very breath we breathe. They are the protectors of the rainforest that provides 20 percent of our global oxygen. It’s a story about recognizing ourselves in them.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
CC: The first time I went to the Javari was in 2007 to do another documentary called “Return to the Amazon.” I knew when I left that I wanted to do something more to help them. They asked me to tell their story to the world, and “Tribes on the Edge” is my response.
W&H: What do you want people to think about after they watch the film?
CC: Ideally people will have a better understanding of the impact we have on anything and everything on this planet, including the survival of people.
What I hope will happen is that the audience will take it a step further to action: supporting NGOs that defend the Amazon and its people, looking at how what we consume affects the Amazon rainforest, and thinking and acting globally as well as locally about decisions to protect people, places, and biodiversity.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
CC: One difficult part was in the logistics of working in the Amazon rainforest and all of the potential dangers and intricacies of navigating the rivers and jungle in the heat and humidity laden with insects. The emotional difficulty of the subject was also a heavy weight to carry. When someone looks you in the eye and tells you they do not want to go extinct you cannot ignore the truth and consequences of these words. It makes sharing the story all the more urgent.
Another challenge existed because the Indigenous people trusted me with telling their story. I did not want to be tied to any obligation to deliver the story in a way that others wanted it, but rather in a way that honored their trust in me.
Therefore, the film was created completely independently as a nonprofit project mostly funded by individuals. Once it was completed, I started looking for distribution. I found that this is a much more difficult way to proceed then getting a distributor first.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
CC: Initial funding came from a small National Geographic grant for Indigenous filmmakers which no longer exists. They made an exception for this film because I was asked by Indigenous peoples to tell their story. This allowed me to do the first interviews outside the Vale do Javari territory, and because my editor donated his time to edit a teaser, we were able to use it to find more funding. I self-funded a portion of the budget to get the filming going which wasn’t sustainable in the long run, but I was guided by my belief, dedication, and passion for this project.
And I literally talked about this project to everyone who would listen or any time I had the occasion. I looked for individuals interested in this story and some people came to me because they understood I was determined and would fulfill my promise to complete the project.
We also did a crowdfunding campaign which was successful in great part because one person gave a generous matching donation. Securing that up front was key.
In all, it took three years to complete filming and just as many to get it to a distributor.
W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
CC: There was never one specific moment where I made a decision to be a filmmaker and I didn’t study this career. Instead, I offered my support as a logistics and field producer when my father was filming a series for PBS since I had time and energy to give and was good at planning. I did not go into this as a career move, but once I was in the field helping capture amazing stories about nature and people, it was evident I wanted to continue.
Quickly, I was asked to conduct interviews and it was something that flowed naturally — I believe [that was because] of my studies in psychology and intercultural relations. I had an innate curiosity for people, the way they think and act, and no barrier being in front of the camera to gather information and images.
Eventually it became evident that I also had ideas of stories to tell. I started creating short content to support the work of grassroots organizations and individuals who did not necessarily have the means to create their own short films. This became the work I produced under the name CauseCentric Productions.
I juggled being director, producer, camerawoman, sound person, and did the research and logistics, but I always had someone edit, in part because it’s not my skill, and also because it’s hard being completely objective when you’ve lived the story and the subject is personal or sensitive.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
CC: Not just in filmmaking, but in life, I take to heart the words of Beto from the Marubo tribe. I was told, “This problem did not happen overnight. You alone will not solve it overnight. We need you here for the long term so take a breath, and be calm.” In part this teaches me to think of work like a marathon and not a sprint. I have seen that sometimes taking a step back to pause means I’m getting ready to leap.
The worst advice I have received is that I would do better to dedicate myself to just the oceans because with a name like mine it would be easy for me to thrive in the ocean world. I understand the thought but it ignores several factors. It assumes many things: that someone’s perception is the right answer, that there is a disconnect between one ecosystem and the rest, and that I don’t have interests, passions, or skills that are different and my own. My return is to propose setting assumptions aside and assessing people as you witness and observe and listen to them.
W&H: What advice do you have for other women directors?
CC: Don’t be intimidated by a male-dominated career. And always, always support other women in this field. We can be our best allies if we choose to be.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
CC: One documentary film I loved was [Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s] “Blackfish” because it was honest — it dared to uncover the truth in a world others see as normal. Another is [Sofia Coppola’s] “Lost in Translation” — because it was comical and sensitive. Also, because I could relate to being a foreigner and feeling like the world is an odd and vulnerable place.
W&H: How are you adjusting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you keeping creative, and if so, how?
CC: This time it has been one of a pause for me. I am so used to traveling all the time and feeling like my relevancy in the field of storytelling is equal to the list of destinations in my calendar. What this time has given me is an opportunity to take a step back and think more calmly about what is ahead.
In 2020 I wrote a book, a new mode of creation for me. And I am developing partnerships and ideas to create more stories without the necessity of constant travel. Of course I miss traveling, being in different ecosystems, seeing new cultures, and having new experiences. But in essence this is a new experience — one I would not have created on my own. And so I try to take this as an opportunity to be and not just do. From there new projects are emerging.
W&H: The film industry has a long history of underrepresenting people of color onscreen and behind the scenes and reinforcing — and creating — negative stereotypes. What actions do you think need to be taken to make Hollywood and/or the doc world more inclusive?
CC: Active outreach, recruitment, and the creation of education and job opportunities for BIPOC is necessary in all fields, including film. I recognize that in my own team I have been working with people I’ve known in the field for way over a decade and we’re mostly white. But because of the subject in “Tribes on the Edge,” our guides, local team, translators, and subjects are typically underrepresented.
Having my team and myself in the story was initially something I was resistant to, but mentors really believed it was necessary so the mainstream audience could relate. It’s not something I’m comfortable with, but I know it’s true.
My hope is that this changes — that we see ourselves in others, and that we act more as allies all the time rather than only when it’s convenient. I am an Indigenous ally and it’s not always an easy statement to assume, explain, or embody, but it’s one that is essential to who I am and where I stand in my beliefs of what’s right and fair.
