Waste Land
Waste Land

Movie spotlight

Waste Land

2010
Movie
90 min
English

An uplifting feature documentary highlighting the transformative power of art and the beauty of the human spirit. Top-selling contemporary artist Vik Muniz takes us on an emotional journey from Jardim Gramacho, the world's largest landfill on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, to the heights of international art stardom. Vik collaborates with the brilliant catadores, pickers of recyclable materials, true Shakespearean characters who live and work in the garbage quoting Machiavelli and showing us how to recycle ourselves.

Insights

IMDb8.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes97%
Metacritic77/100
Google Users93%
Director: Lucy WalkerGenres: Documentary, Crime, Biography

Plot Summary

Waste Land follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he travels to the world's largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There, he collaborates with the 'catadores' – the pickers of recyclable materials – to create stunning portraits from the garbage. The film documents the transformative power of art and the dignity of the human spirit in the face of extreme poverty.

Critical Reception

Waste Land received widespread critical acclaim, lauded for its powerful storytelling, stunning visuals, and profound emotional impact. Critics praised its exploration of social issues, the dignity of the catadores, and the transformative potential of art. Audiences were deeply moved by the human stories and the artist's unique approach.

What Reviewers Say

  • A visually striking and emotionally resonant documentary that highlights the dignity of individuals in dire circumstances.

  • Praised for its powerful subject matter and the transformative impact of art.

  • Critics admired the artist's vision and the compelling human stories at its core.

Google audience: Google users overwhelmingly praised the film for its inspiring stories of resilience and dignity found in unexpected places. Many highlighted the beauty created from garbage and the positive impact the project had on the lives of the participants. The film's emotional depth and artistic merit were frequently cited as reasons for its high ratings.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Won multiple audience awards at various film festivals, including Sundance Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival.

Fun Fact

Vik Muniz, the artist featured in the film, used his own earnings from the sale of the artworks created in the documentary to fund social and environmental projects for the catadores and their families.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
BornKnight

BornKnight

Nominated for best documentary for the Academy in 2012. I don't know if I could be wrong but some of the the reviews here are very negative from those who live in Brazil. The point of view is valid from what people say negatively about d...