Waste Land, UK-BR 2010 colour 98 min.
dir:  Lucy Walker
co-dir: João Jardim, Karen Harley
pro: Angus Aynsley, Hank Levine, Almega Projects, O2 Filmes
ph: Dudu Miranda
mus: Moby
ed :Pedro Kos
cast: Vik Muniz, Fabio Ghivelder, Isis Rodrigues Garros, José Carlos da Silva Bala Lopes, Magna de Franca Santos, Valter dos Santos, Leide Laurentina da Silva, Suelem Pereira Dias, Sebastiano Carlos dos Santos Lopes
dis: Hagi

Filmed over nearly three years, “Waste Land” follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world’s largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of “catadores” – or self-designated pickers of recyclable materials. Muniz’s initial objective was to “paint” the catadores with garbage. However, his collaboration with these inspiring characters as they recreate photographic images of themselves out of garbage reveals both dignity and despair as the catadores begin to re-imagine their lives. Walker has great access to the entire process and, in the end, offers stirring evidence of the transformative power of art and the alchemy of the human spirit.

Sundance FF 2010 – Audience Award (World Cinema Documentary), nominated to Grand Jury Prize
Berlin IFF 2010 – Amnesty International Film Prize, Panorama Audience Award