Review of Waste Land (2010) by Andrea F — 15 Nov 2012

From the sky, from above, Jardim Gramacho seems as gruesome as you would think the largest garbage dump of the world would seem. But if you take closer look, if you take a walk around the place and stand the smell of tons of waste, if you talk with the "catadores", the people working there picking up recyclable material, you realize that this place is much more than a large, open-sky dumpster. It is a working place, just as any other. Its dynamic is the same you would probably find in an office at downtown. The job the "catadores" have to carry on is not a pleasant one, of course, but the majority of them are just proud of being there, instead of being involved with drugs or prostitution.

The power of this movie is in its characters. First, we learn about Vik Muniz and how he became the best-selling Brasilian artist in the world. But then, he steps aside and starts involving lovable characters (some of the "catadores") in his project, transforming their lives in the process. Among the litter, among the trash we find these people. Some of them are just victims of misfortunes. But they are still standing strong, willing to change their future, to do better things for their children and their community. And their dignity, their dreams, their hopes shine althrough the desolation of Jardim Gramacho and make us comprehend how resilient the human spirit can be.