"Lucky it's not 'smellivision'!" That's how award-winning director, Lucy Walker, introduced the movie Waste Land at its sold out second screening at Sydney Film Festival 2010. I guess we'll just have to take her word for it, but after spending three years making the film I am inclined to believe her.

Waste Land follows renowned artist Vik Muniz on a journey from Brooklyn, New York, back to his native Brazil and the world's largest rubbish dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. The movie has the sense of a documentary, but, far from standing on the outside looking in, it unexpectedly touches and transforms everyone involved (movie-goers included). In fact, observer's paradox, the age-old dilemma surrounding the observer changing the observed, is a quintessential part of the movie.

"The moment when one thing turns into another is the most beautiful moment. A combination of sounds turns into music. And that applies to everything" ... Vik Muniz, Waste Land

Vik, rather than merely observing, collaborates with an eclectic group of 'catadores' – self designated pickers of recyclable materials – taking their photographs and then helping them recreate these images of themselves out of garbage. This collaboration reveals many things, to Vik, as well as to the catadores, but as with all things it takes time. Lucy Walker's direction and vision allows the story to unfurl over time – none of it was scripted and contrary to a 'normal' movie lifecycle where the ending is needed to garner the funding – no one knew quite how this story would end. Instead they put their trust in a huge pile of garbage!

And what a pile of garbage! The Jardim Gramacho ("Gramacho Gardens") receives more rubbish every day than any other landfill in the world. About 70% of Rio's garbage – a mere 7,000 tonnes – arrives daily! The landfill site was established in 1970 and soon became home to a chaotic community of scavengers. Roughly 1,300 catadores currently work in the landfill each day and night, removing around 200 tonnes of recyclable materials daily. This amazing fortitude has extended the life of the landfill, and contributed to one of the highest recycling rates in the world. However, the landfill is due to close in 2012 as it is reaching capacity.

Meanwhile, over the years, the surrounding area has become home to over 20,000 people, creating the favela (slum) of Jardim Gramacho and in turn creating a local economy that revolves the trade of recyclable materials. But the Gramacho "is a place where everything that's not good goes – including people".

"I never imagined I'd become a work of art – I don't see myself as trash anymore!"

The transformative power of art that is so eloquently revealed in this movie makes it an absolute stand out – don't miss it. And after seeing this mountainous detritus of life through new eyes, I have to admit that I am thankful it wasn't 'smellivision'.

Green Times' verdict: A must see!

More information:
www.wastelandmovie.com
Vik Muniz website
Hopscotch Films

"We dedicate the movie to Valter, and remember him saying that 99 is not 100. A single can, or a single catador, can make the difference."
... Lucy Walker, January 2010

Director Biography Excerpt:

LUCY WALKER

Lucy Walker uses dramatic filmmaking techniques to make documentary films, following memorable characters on transformative journeys that grant unique access inside closed worlds. In addition to WASTE LAND, Lucy Walker directed a second feature documentary that premiered at Sundance 2010: COUNTDOWN TO ZERO, a terrifying exposé of the current threat of nuclear terrorism and proliferation.

Walker grew up in London, England, started directing theatre in high school and continued as an undergraduate at Oxford University, where her plays won prestigious Oxford University Dramatic Society awards. After graduating at the top of her class with a BA Hons and MA Oxon in Literature, she won a Fulbright Scholarship to attend New York University's Graduate Film Program, where she earned her MFA. While at NYU, she moonlighted as a musician and DJ, during which time she met Moby, who contributed the music for WASTE LAND.

Image credit: All photographs by Vik Muniz, courtesy of Vik Muniz Studio

Review written by Suze Chalmers