
The article presents the indigenous filmmaker Isael Maxakali and his audio-visual production, especially his 2016 documentary Grin. The film retrieves memories about the formation of the Guarda Rural Indígena (GRIN), during the military dictatorship, with narratives of testimony of the violence suffered by relatives. In this sense, the author seeks to bring the power of resistance that pulsates in his films. In August 2020, Isael won the Pipa award for the film Yãmîy about Maxakali’s ontology. With the award, the artist will put into practice the “Escola-Floresta” (Forest School) project. The project is a strategy for valuing and strengthening traditional knowledge, protecting fauna and flora and training young artists.