Brazil / USA,
2005, 80 min
Shown in 2006
CREDITS
- dir
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Jeff Zimbalist, Matt Mochary
- prod
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Matt Mochary, Jeff Zimbalist
- cam
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Jeff Zimbalist
- editor
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Jeff Zimbalist
- mus
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Force Theory
- source
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Mochary Films, 115 W. 29th Street, 10th floor, 10001 New York, NY. FAX: 646-290-9035. EMAIL: darcy.roake@gmail.com.
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COMMENTS
Jeff Zimbalist in attendance.
OTHER
One night in a favela, an impoverished barrio on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, an infamous druglord shot and killed four policemen, launching what the favela residents refer to as “The Massacre.” In retaliation, the military police, known for their oppressive corruption, made a sadistic surprise attack on the community and slaughtered 21 of its innocent citizens. Short-listed for this year’s Oscar for Best Documentary, Favela Rising focuses on Anderson Sá, the brother of one of the victims. Instead of seeking revenge by further entrenching himself in drug trafficking—often the only mode of survival for those living in the favelas—he began to wonder how to counteract this cycle of violence. In order to save the youth in his barrio from the grim fate that would most likely await them, Sá began Grupo Cultural AfroReggae, an organization that uses music and dance to rally against the violence and crime that these youth face every day. Then, suddenly, Sá was paralyzed in a freak accident, and the true power of his movement was put to the test. Through their vivid and poetic filmmaking, first-time feature directors Jeff Zimbalist and Matt Mochary move beyond a portrait of despair to chronicle the community’s transcendental fight for a better life, culminating in the inspiring ability to persevere and even flourish in the most unspeakable of circumstances.
—Tessa Swigart
FACTOID #73
James Wong Howe was the first cinematographer to receive a tribute at the Festival, October 19, 1974. The legendary lenser photographed such classics as The Thin Man, Pursued, Sweet Smell of Success and Hud.
