Jama Wapichana is an Indigenous woman from the Wapichana people of Brazil and Guyana, currently living in the state of Roraima, Brazil. She holds a degree in Indigenous Territorial Management and a Master’s in Literature from the Federal University of Roraima, with a focus on Indigenous Literature. She also completed a specialization in Economic Justice Advocacy for Indigenous Women of the Americas. Jama is currently leading the project “Wapichana Indigenous Literature and Inclusion”, which promotes Wapichana literature through inclusive materials translated into Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) for the Deaf community. She contributed to the research team for the Netflix film “Ricos de Amor 2”, and was selected for Netflix’s Second Act, a screenwriting acceleration program. Jama wrote the hybrid documentary “Ämazad”, developed during an artistic residency with Cine Luso in Brussels. She also participated in the LANANI Lab for Black and Indigenous Storytellers, where her original concept was selected for development by Globo. As a storyteller, she took part in the Afro-Amerindian Gamified Narratives Lab, creating Indigenous-based 2D minigames for children aged 8 and up. Currently, she is enrolled in Roteiraria’s screenwriting program and is developing her debut feature film “A Jornada de Kapoi”, supported by the Paulo Gustavo Law (2023).
Profession
- Screenwriter
Education
- B.A. in Indigenous Territorial Management
- M.A. in Literature (Indigenous Literature) – Federal University of Roraima
- Specialization in Economic Justice Advocacy for Indigenous Women – ECMIA
- Becoming a Social Entrepreneur – University of Michigan (2023)
- Alumni Project: Community Organizing for Social Justice – University of Michigan (2022)
- MOBILANG: Community Interpreters Training – University of Brasília (2021)
- Course on Mining Impacts and Defense of Traditional Peoples – Fiocruz (2020–2021)
- Afro-Amerindian Gamified Narratives Lab – 2D minigames based on ancestral myths (2023)
Filmography
- “YORA – GENTE VERDADEIRA” (2024) – Researcher / Screenwriter. Production of the Wai Wai episode – LFAGNELLO COMUNICAÇÕES LTDA / Brazil.
- “ADAPTAÇÃO DO LIVRO BOCA DA NOITE” (2023) – Director / Screenwriter Animated short film – SESC RORAIMA / Brazil.
- “YORA – GENTE VERDADEIRA” (2023) – Researcher / Screenwriter. Production of the Ingarikó episode – FAGANELLO COMUNICAÇÕES LTDA / Brazil.
- “YORA – GENTE VERDADEIRA” (2023) – Screenwriter. Brasília episode – Marcha das Mulheres – FAGANELLO COMUNICAÇÕES LTDA / Brazil.
- “ÄMAZAD” (2023) – Screenwriter. Hybrid documentary developed during CINE LUSO ESPÍRITO MUNDO Residency (Brussels).
- “JÓIA DE IROKO: ANTIGO GUERREIRAS” (2023) – Screenwriter. Series in development – Awarded by SAV/MINC/FSA public grant No. 10/2018 – H.S. Lima Produções Audiovisuais / Brazil.
- “RICOS DE AMOR 2” (2022) – Script Collaborator Feature film – Ananã Filmes Eireli / Brazil.
- “A JORNADA DA MULHER KANAIMÉ” (2024) – Screenwriter. Feature film in development – Supported by Paulo Gustavo Law / Boa Vista (2023).
- “O CHÃO DA MALOCA GRANDE” (2024) – Screenwriter. Short film in development – Supported by Paulo Gustavo Law / Boa Vista (2023).
- “WA KUWAI COM JAMES PERRY” – “RUMI DUKURY NAIK DUWIDS” (2023–2024) – Screenwriter. Short film supported by the Indigenous Youth Cultural Survival Grant (2023).
Awards, Grants & Residencies
- “A Jornada de Kapoi” – Development grant (LPG, Boa Vista, 2023)
- “O Chão da Maloca Grande” – Development grant (LPG, Boa Vista, 2023)
- “WA KUWAI com James Perry” – Indigenous Youth Cultural Survival Grant (2023)
- Residency – Cine Luso Espírito Mundo (Brussels, 2023) – for the documentary Ämazad
- Netflix Second Act – Screenwriting Accelerator for Black and Indigenous Writers (2022–2023)
- EducationUSA Opportunity Funds / Fulbright + Lemann Foundation
- (2022–2023) – Merit scholarship for graduate study preparation
- Access E2C (2021) – English language scholarship
- ProLíder Fellowship (2021) – Leadership grant from Instituto Four; first Indigenous fellow among 12,000 applicants
- PIBIC/CNPq/UFRR (2017–2018) – Scientific research grant from the Federal University of Roraima