Wasteland

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1268204/

 Lucy Walker the director of the film Wasteland is trying to send a message for people to think about what they are throwing away. The environmental message that even one bottle out of 100 bottles makes a difference. Things that we think of as garbage has a value and can be beautiful. She is also saying this about the catadores that pick through the garbage. Many people think that they are worthless. That they are the throw-aways of Brazilian society. But through the lens of the camera we see that they are inspiring, beautiful, and of infinite worth. The movie seems to give an honest portrayal of the poor people in Brazil. They are not shown as stereotypical figures. They are not morally corrupt drug users. A catadores in this film said that there is no shame in being poor. It is better to be poor than rich and morally corrupt. Those rich people in Brazil might misinterpret this movie as being an attack on them. But it is not really about them. It is a celebration of art and its transformative powers.
The director started out with a literature degree before she moved on to film. This is evident in the way she used visuals to tell a story. At the beginning she used idealistic clips of a beautiful city, beach, and landscapes to contrast with the city of garbage. At times she would show what the scene would look like from the lens of a still camera. This helped to focus in on what the photographer was seeing and experiencing.
The art from Vik Muniz sells for large amounts of money and is very respected.