The Sounds of Film is spotlighting Richard Ladkani, the award-winning director of YANUNI, a breathtaking new documentary featured at the Hamptons International Film Festival. The film follows Indigenous leader Juma Xipaia from her remote village in the Brazilian Amazon to the political frontlines of climate justice.

After surviving six assassination attempts, Juma becomes Brazil’s first Secretary of Indigenous Rights, while her husband, Hugo Loss, leads dangerous operations against illegal gold miners in the rainforest. Filmed over four years, YANUNI offers an intimate look at their love, courage, and resilience amid rising environmental threats. Executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, the film continues Ladkani’s legacy of powerful environmental storytelling, seen previously in Sea of Shadows and The Ivory Game.

Richard Ladkani is an acclaimed Austrian filmmaker and cinematographer who has directed more than fifty documentaries for major international broadcasters, including National Geographic and the BBC. Known for his immersive, visually striking style, Ladkani’s work often explores urgent environmental and human rights issues. His films The Ivory Game and Sea of Shadows both earned global recognition—Sea of Shadows won the Sundance Audience Award, while The Ivory Game was shortlisted for an Academy Award. In 2015, he co-founded Malaika Pictures with his wife Anita, focusing on cinematic storytelling that inspires awareness and change.

In his interview with The Sounds of Film, Ladkani discusses the challenges of filming in the Amazon, his collaboration with Juma Xipaia, and how YANUNI illuminates one of the world’s most critical environmental and human rights struggles.

Hosted by Tom Needham, The Sounds of Film is the nation’s longest-running film and music-themed radio show, offering in-depth interviews with leading voices in cinema and culture. Past guests include Billy Joel, Alexander Payne, Carter Burwell, and Howard Shore.

The Sounds of Film airs on WUSB 90.1 FM Stony Brook and streams live at wusb.fm. Episodes are also available on major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio.