Waste Land

Name: Waste Land
Genre: Documentary
Released: October 29, 2010
Duration: 90 min
Rating: 78
Cast: Vik Muniz

2010

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Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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Universal acclaim based on 21 Ratings

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8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 21 Ratings

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Waste Land

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Movie Details & Credits

Arthouse Films | Release Date: October 29, 2010

Starring: Vik Muniz

Summary: 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 recyclableFilmed 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 the dignity and despair of the catadores as they 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. (Arthouse Films) … Expand

Director: João Jardim and Karen Harley and Lucy Walker

Genre(s): Documentary

Runtime: 90 min

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Critic Reviews

Stephen Holden

Oct 28, 2010

"We are not pickers of garbage; we are pickers of recyclable materials," Tião, an impoverished Brazilian catadore, or trash picker, declares to a talk-show host in Lucy Walker's inspiring documentary Waste Land. Read full review

Steven Rea

Dec 7, 2010

It's not a very good title, Waste Land - this isn't a bleak film, at all - but just about everything else in Lucy Walker's documentary works, and illuminates. Read full review

Scott Tobias

Oct 28, 2010

Though narrower in scope and lacking the first-person angle, Waste Land resembles Agnès Varda's great 2000 documentary "The Gleaners & I," particularly in its awe of tough, creative, hard-working people who live on the margins. Read full review

Peter Debruge

Oct 24, 2010

Lucy Walker's Waste Land takes his (Vik Muniz) project one step deeper by actually getting to know Muniz's models, which brings a compelling human-interest dimension to the sort of art documentary otherwise better suited for TV. Read full review

Wesley Morris

Dec 12, 2010

Waste Land is just what the film's website says it is: "stirring evidence of the transformative power of art and the alchemy of the human spirit." Read full review

Walter Addiego

Dec 12, 2010

Waste Land is a film about recycling, but it's far more intriguing than the average eco-documentary. Read full review

Joshua Rothkopf

Oct 26, 2010

It probably would have helped if Walker (who credits two other codirectors) had chosen just one of those avenues for deeper study; her doc has a vertiginous way of feeling arty and ephemeral at one moment, humane and maybe too earthbound the next. Read full review

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User Reviews

oregonhead

Dec 28, 2010

This is the best film that I have seen this year. Put away your fears that this is a guilt-driven movie. It is realistic and optimistic. The takeaway: when you see yourself as you really are, it transforms you in a second.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

lasttimeisaw

Jul 8, 2012

A documentary about the international acclaimed Brazilian artist Vik Muniz, who reconstructs photos using garbage materials from Jardim Gramacho, the world

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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