SAMANÁ
The Last Free Flowing River of Antioquia
“For more than 15 years, I have explored how people and systems adapt to constant change. When I first encountered the Samaná River, I didn’t just see a beautiful landscape; I saw a living case study in resilience. I felt compelled to make this film because the Samaná serves as a mirror for our own capacity to preserve what is essential in a world moving faster than ever.” – Cameron Atlas, Director
Join The Movement
Whether you are local or live abroad, there are multiple ways to join us on the quest to ensuring the Samaná River receives permanent protection.
Coming in September 2026 is an opportunity to experience the Samaná for youself
Write to Sen. Paola Andrea Holguín Moreno, the Senator for the region of Antioquia, requesting the protection of the Samaná.
A unique kayak race and public event to enjoy and protect the last free flowing river of Antioquia
About The Samaná
The Samaná River is the only major river in Antioquia, Colombia, that remains free flowing. While the rest of the region’s waterways have been dammed, the Samaná’s ecosystem remains intact, supporting a critical corridor of biodiversity and a growing economy for locals.
Many returned to the river after being displaced by Colombia’s internal conflict, building a livelihood around conservation and eco-tourism. Now, multiple proposed dam projects threaten to flood the canyon and end the river’s natural flow.
Through the perspectives of those who rely on the water, the film examines the tension between industrial development and the preservation of Antioquia’s last free flowing river.
About The Cast
Through the perspectives of those who rely on the water, the film examines the tension between industrial development and the preservation of Antioquia’s last free flowing river.
Silvia López-Casas
Freshwater Ecosystems Specialist, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
Silvia is a fresh water conservation biologist and ecologist scientist, with over 20 years of experience in research, conservation, and science outreach within fishing, riparian, and Indigenous communities.
Her work focuses on fisheries, community-based monitoring of continental aquatic ecosystems and its biodiversity, ecosystem connectivity, and environmental health under the One Health approach to freshwaters with a focus on pollution and mercury. She is also an expert on migratory fish in tropical South America and is a member of the Colombian Association of Ichthyologists (ACICTIOS) and the Global River Protection Coalition (GRPC)
Didier Rincon
Local Rafting Guide
Jules Domine
Hydrologist & Professional Kayaker
Jules Domine has traveled to over 15 countries as a hydrologist and professional athlete in the sport of whitewater kayaking. His unusual inclination towards committing, multi-day expeditions in remote natural environments, combined with unique wilderness skillsets, has resulted in the first descents of 10 major rivers, including the first solo descent in kayak of Canada’s Grand Canyon of the Stikine.
Throughout his travels, he realized he couldn’t keep going from one pristine river to the next, before it was polluted or dammed. He decided to stay in Colombia and work to protect its rivers. Here remains some of the world’s last wild clean rivers and ecosystems, but more importantly, a community of resilient, resourceful, and warm people brave enough to stand up to protect them.
Mael Nguyen
Kayak Club Oriente Antioqueño
About the Director, Cameron Atlas
Cameron Atlas has dedicated more than 15 years to understanding how individuals, organizations, and systems navigate constant change. As a National Geographic Explorer and host of The Edge of Possible podcast, he inspires and empowers audiences globally to unlock their potential in the face of uncertainty.
Cameron’s own journey has been defined by reinvention, from growing up on a farm in Outback Australia to delivering a TEDx talk in Rome and creating immersive keynote experiences around the world with live music on stage.
While traveling through Colombia, Cameron encountered the Samaná, the last free-flowing river in the department of Antioquia. Recognizing the river as a powerful example of the resilience and adaptation he explores in his professional work, Cameron felt compelled to document the community’s fight to protect it.
Samaná is his directorial debut, merging a career in storytelling and human behavior with a decade of exploration to capture a story of human and environmental endurance in the face of industrial change.
