Thursday, 2024-03-28, 6:20 AM
Welcome noob | Registration | Login

Mr.Lunow’s AP Human Geography

Site menu
Login form
Statistics

Favela Rising - Forum

[ New messages · Members · Forum rules · Search · RSS ]
  • Page 1 of 1
  • 1
Forum » Additional Suggested Movies » Unit 7 » Favela Rising
Favela Rising
LunowDate: Thursday, 2011-06-23, 10:15 PM | Message # 1
Major
Group: Administrators
Messages: 82
Reputation: 1
Status: Offline
Favela Rising

Co-directors Jeff Zimbalist and Matt Mochary's acclaimed documentary charts the growth of Rio de Janeiro's AfroReggae movement, a grassroots effort to combat the soul-crushing oppression of the city's most notorious slum. Led by former street thug Anderson Sa, the nonviolent program celebrates Afro-Brazilian culture, drawing on hip-hop music and dance to unite the impoverished neighborhood against the ubiquitous drug pushers and corrupt cops. - from Netflix

If you ever wanted to go to Brazil you should probably miss this movie. When I was in high school a teacher suggested that we go and see a movie called Pixote. It was a poignant look at the life of street children in Rio de Janeiro. It terrified me and has left a very unflattering and unfavorable image of Brazil. This movie might have a similar effect on you. It follows the life of a musician who is trying to provide hope and alternative opportunities for people who live in the flavelas of Rio.

It does proved a great visual portrait of what the Brazilian flavelas are like. This could also be incorporated in the Unit 3 - Culture, with a study of popular culture and the synthesizing of Afro-Brazilian cultures. This is an interesting documentary, and some of the opening cinematography is good, but it is also pretty gruesome, and you should think about watching this if you have a weak stomach.
 
TechnolokingDate: Sunday, 2015-04-12, 1:23 PM | Message # 2
Private
Group: Users
Messages: 1
Reputation: 0
Status: Offline
Peter Tran - Period 4

"I think God writes wise words in crude penmanship." -A member of AfroReggae

My Synopses
Favela Rising is a documentary that shows the evolution of a movement against violence and crime in favelas. It revolves around AfroReggae, a band whose origin is the favela, Vigario Geral. Vigario Geral is a squatter settlement near Guanabara bay, where durglords rule the people through fear and control over impoverished towns. Anderson Sa, a former drug trafficker, leads the movement and introduces a world of music and art to the trapped residents of Vigario Geral.

My Opinion
I very much enjoyed this documentary, as it was interesting enough to call my cousin over to awkwardly try to explain what was happening. Watching the documentary got me thinking; Why are they in this position? How did this squatter settlement come to be? What are some of the forces contributing to their poverty? I almost immediately answered my own question with the answers: Poverty and Police Incompetence. Poverty was a given, but later into the documentary, I found that police brutality was a contributing factor, and that my hypothesis was correct. Many of the policemen nearby were very corrupted, stealing and exhibiting brutal beatings on innocent people. I then started thinking about economic factors, how come settlers in the favelas cannot work themselves out economically? Unfortunately, most jobs are dangerous, and work is hindered by druglords, controlling the streets. Even then, shouldn't the druglords be holding money? Ironically, the druglords do not hold a lot of money, as most of the profits from drugs then go to the police in exchange for weapons. In the end, the corrupted police are the root of the problem. However, this non-violence movement, AfroReggae, shows to the community that change can occur, and proves to the world that they can create a culture as well, that they are people that matter too.

My Personal Score
3.5/5
I would have given it a 4/5, but I believe that it left many loose ends, such as what becomes of the rival favela, Lucas, after the incident when the cease fire ended. Another thing they left out was any kind of outside contribution, as I am sure the government was considering ways to solve favela problems. The film limited the view to the inside of the favela, and not enough views from outside the favela. Although there were a few professional opinions, there were little to no discussions. Other than those problems, I found the film to be enjoyable. I wish I could forget what I watched so that I could watch it again.

"We must all begin to show that we are able. That we can lift our own arms. That we can raise our heads."


Message edited by Technoloking - Sunday, 2015-04-12, 1:35 PM
 
Forum » Additional Suggested Movies » Unit 7 » Favela Rising
  • Page 1 of 1
  • 1
Search: