This paper focuses on five short films from the Mekong 2030 (2020) project, produced by the Luang Prabang Film Festival (LPFF). Independent young directors from five Southeast Asian countries tell distinct stories about the lives of local communities and the landscapes of the Mekong River as envisioned in the year 2030. Adopting the theoretical framework of discourse and ecological colonialism, this paper argues that the five films serve as “micro-narratives” of resistance, challenging the idyllic discourses propagated by transnational corporations and global capitalism regarding investment and economic development in local Mekong communities. The films highlight the severe consequences of exploiting the river, including the degradation of ecological systems and residents’ livelihoods. These impacts undermine self-sufficiency and disrupt the lifestyles and cultures of Indigenous communities. This represents a new form of ecological colonialism, reflecting the power and hegemony of transnational corporations in developing countries. Through an ecological cinematic aesthetic, Mekong 2030 raises profound concerns about the expansion of ecological colonialism in Southeast Asia. It underscores the urgent need to address sustainability and environmental justice issues in the era of globalization.