Green Gold

Directed by: Ivonne Serna and Sélim Benzeghia
Produced by: Will N. Miller

Stage:
- Production
Location:
- Mexico
Updated: March 5, 2026
Project Type:
- Feature
Project Style:
- Observational
Theme Subject:
- Crime,
- Environment

Logline

In Michoacán, Mexico, known as "the avocado capital of the world", forests fall and fortunes rise as land defenders and producers confront cartel violence, deforestation, and growing water scarcity.

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Synopsis

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In the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico, avocados are more than a crop: they’re culture, livelihood, and a legacy. But as global demand for this “green gold” soars, so do the stakes. In the forested town of Madero, land defenders like Memo, María, and Julio risk everything to protect their community’s last remaining woods. Organized crime has muscled in to cash in on the avocado boom: forests are razed for illicit orchards and local water supplies diverted to feed them, turning a fight for the environment into a fight for survival. Across the state, in Tancítaro, the self-declared “avocado capital of the world,” the fruit is a symbol of pride and progress. The streets fill with parades during the annual avocado festival, and monuments honor the crop
that built the region. Paulo, a respected local grower, has built a modest legacy from this abundance. Meanwhile, Gabriel, who runs a major Mexican-owned packing plant, touts the avocado industry as the region’s best hope for prosperity. As violence escalates and ecological collapse deepends “Green Gold” follows the intertwined fates of these farmers and forest guardians in two communities bound by the same fruit yet divided by its consequences. In a region where “green gold” brings both promise and peril, the film confronts an impossible dilemma: Can livelihoods be sustained without destroying the land that sustains them?
SYNOPSIS

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Background

Mexico is the world’s largest exporter of avocados, with the state of Michoacán producing nearly 50% of the global supply (WEF, 2020). The rise of avocados as a global “superfood” has turned the

region into the backbone of a $3.25 billion industry (Avocado Institute of Mexico, 2020), driven largely by trade with the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Avocados now generate over 78,000 direct and

310,000 indirect jobs in the country. But the rapid expansion of the industry has

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region into the backbone of a $3.25 billion industry (Avocado Institute of Mexico, 2020), driven largely by trade with the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Avocados now generate over 78,000 direct and

310,000 indirect jobs in the country. But the rapid expansion of the industry has come with major consequences. In Michoacán and neighboring states, 30–40% of forest loss is

linked to avocado farming (Global Forest Watch, 2024). Each avocado requires roughly 70 liters of water to grow (DW, 2017), putting pressure on already strained water systems. In some

areas, entire lakes and rivers have dried up as growers dig illegal wells and redirect communal water sources. The boom has also attracted organized crime. Criminal groups have infiltrated parts of the avocado supply chain, extorting growers, seizing land, and diverting water to plant illicit

orchards. As the industry’s value climbs, so does the danger for those who resist its impacts. Between 2012 and 2023, over 190 environmental defenders were killed in Mexico, many for opposing

illegal deforestation, land grabs, and water theft (Global Witness, 2023). The industry has become as profitable as it is perilous.

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Style & Tone

Green Gold is filmed in a vérité style with no narration or direct interviews. The story unfolds through lived scenes, ambient sound, and the voices of the characters themselves. In Madero, handheld

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camerawork brings immediacy to patrols, farmwork, and daily life. In Tancítaro, static and tracking shots reflect the order of industrial production and pride in avocado culture. Local celebrations are filmed observationally to capture the fruit’s cultural weight. Color and sound design guide mood and contrast: earthy tones and natural textures in Madero, saturated celebration scenes, and cold, desaturated palettes in packing plants. Drone shots are used sparingly to trace land use and scale. Sound design grounds the film, organic ambiances dominate community scenes; machinery and pumps shape the industrial soundscape. Minimal music— rooted in traditional instruments and ambient tones—underscores emotional beats. Archival clips and avocado ads provide historical and global context. Humor surfaces through contrast and candid moments, offering levity without undercutting gravity. Each scene holds space for tension and contradiction, reflecting the complexities of a region transformed by the global demand for avocados.

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Team

Ivonne Serna

Director

Team

Ivonne Serna

Director

Ivonne Serna is an environmental researcher, policy advisor, and documentary filmmaker working at the intersection of climate mobility, urban adaptation, and environmental justice. Her work combines field-based research, international policy experience, and visual storytelling to inform governance and support more just climate transitions, particularly across Latin America. She has worked with the United Nations Environment Programme, The Nature Conservancy, and the National Geographic Society, and in 2024 served as Mexico’s lead negotiator on Just Transition and Response Measures at COP29 under the UNFCCC. Her writing has been published in Ecology and Society and is featured in a forthcoming volume on international climate politics with Edward Elgar Press. She has presented her work at global forums such as the International Studies Association, IMPAC5, and the Climate Mobility Summit. As a filmmaker, Ivonne co-directed "Enraizados," a short documentary on Indigenous forest governance in Mexico, and is currently co-directing "Green Gold," an upcoming feature-length documentary supported by The Redford Center, the Rogovy Foundation, AlterCiné, and Creative Europe MEDIA. Her previous work has aired on PBS and screened at international festivals across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. Ivonne is currently pursuing her PhD at New York University, where her research examines climate-driven human mobility, urban systems, and the role of narrative in environmental governance. She holds a summa cum laude degree in Environmental Studies and Political Science from Middlebury College and is an alumna of the Documentary Campus Masterschool. Fluent in Spanish, English, and French, she works across borders to advance research and strategic media that can shape equitable climate futures.

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Sélim Benzeghia

Director

Team

Sélim Benzeghia

Director

Sélim Benzeghia (he/him) is a Franco-Algerian director and producer, and co-founder of Koudeta Films. He specializes in documentaries on social issues, including climate justice, human rights, and forced migration. His credits have included work for Nova Productions, France Télévision, and Radio Nova. His documentary A Slide and Barbed Wire (2023) aired on French National Television, received critical acclaim, and played a role in a UNICEF impact campaign that influenced policy changes regarding the detention of migrant children in France. Sélim co-directed the short film Enraizados (Our Roots Remain), supported by The Redford Center, which premiered at COP29 and MountainFilm is now on the Festival circuit. He was a resident at the 2023 Documentary Campus Masterschool, IDFAcademy 2024 and is a member of Collectif 50/50, which advocates for gender parity and diversity in the film industry. https://www.selimbenzeghia.com/

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Will N. Miller

Producer

Team

Will N. Miller

Producer

The first feature doc Will produced, THE TERRITORY (dir. Alex Pritz), premiered at Sundance 2022, where it won two awards and was sold to National Geographic Documentary Films. It has played at over 120 festivals and received over 30 awards and recognitions, and is shortlisted for the Academy Awards. The doc short NUISANCE BEAR (dir. Jack Weisman and Gabriela Osio-Vanden) premiered at TIFF and was acquired by the New Yorker. It has played at over 100 festivals, winning over 20 awards and is the first short to win awards at Critic's Choice, IDA, and Cinema Eye Honors. It is also shortlisted for the Academy Awards. Before that, Will worked as a journalist and human rights campaigner doing digital features, winning dozens of awards including an Emmy (three nominations and one win). His work has been published by the New York Times, The Guardian, National Geographic, the Economist, the New Yorker, CNN, NBC, and the BBC. He has also worked extensively for commercial and NGO clients around the world.

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Budget

This section includes information about this project.

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Our Ask

Production: We are seeking funds, including potential for international co-pros.

Impact: We are also looking for partners in the culinary world to work with us on our innovative impact campaign to pressure grocery stores and other major importers to adopt the "Pro-Forest" avocado certification program.

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Green Gold

Logline

Clips

Team

Ivonne Serna

Ivonne Serna

Sélim Benzeghia

Sélim Benzeghia

Will N. Miller

Will N. Miller

Budget

Our Ask