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“, 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 trash, reveals both the dignity and despair of the catadores as they begin to re-imagine their lives. The filmmakers have great access to the entire process and, in the end, offer stirring evidence of the transformative power of art and the alchemy of the human spirit.
Lucy Walker
João Jardim
Karen Harley
Angus Aynsley
Hank Levine
Peter Martin
Fernando Meirelles
Miel de Botton Aynsley
Andrea Barata Ribeiro
Jackie de Botton
Moby
Pedro Kos
Dudu Miranda
| 83rd Academy Awards® | NOMINATED – Best Documentary Feature |
| Sundance Film Festival | WON – Audience Award for Best World Cinema Documentary January 2010 |
| Berlin Film Festival | WON – Panorama Audience Award for Best Film WON – Amnesty International Human Rights Film Award February 2010 |
| IDA Awards | WON – Best Documentary WON – Pare Lorentz Award December 2010 |
| Dallas International Film Festival | WON – Target Filmmaker Award for Best Documentary March 2010 |
| Full Frame Film Festival | WON – Audience Award for Best Film April 2010 |
| Seattle International Film Festival | WON – Best Documentary, Golden Space Needle Audience Award (tie) June 2010 |
| Provincetown International Film Festival | WON – HBO Audience Award, Best Documentary Feature June 2010 |
| Maui International Film Festival | WON – Audience Award for Best World Cinema Documentary June 2010 |
| Paulinia Film Festival | WON – Audience Award for Best Film WON – Jury Award for Best Film July 2010 |
| Durban International Film Festival | WON – Best Documentary WON – Audience Choice Best Film WON – Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award August 2010 |
| EcoFocus Film Festival | WON – Human Spirit Award WON – Audience Award for Best Feature Film October 2010 |
| Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival | WON – People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary Film October 2010 |
| Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival | WON – Jury Award October 2010 |
| Heartland Film Festival | WON – Crystal Heart Award October 2010 |
| Vancouver International Film Festival | WON – Rogers People’s Choice Award October 2010 |
| Såo Paulo Internacional Film Festival | WON – Itamaraty Award for Best Documentary November 2010 |
| IDFA | WON – Audience Award for Best Documentary November 2010 |
| Amazonas Film Festival | WON – Jury Award November 2010 |
| Stockholm International Film Festival | WON – Silver Audience Award November 2010 |
| IDA Awards | WON – Best Documentary WON – Pare Lorentz Award December 2010 |
| Golden Tomato Award | WON – Best Reviewed Documentary 2010 December 2010 |
| Wild and Scenic Festival | WON – Best of Festival January 2011 |
| Princeton Environmental Film Festival | WON – Best of the Festival February 2011 |
| AARP Awards | WON- Best Documentary February 2011 |
| Sedona International Film Festival | WON – Best Documentary February 2011 |
| BIFA Awards | NOMINATED – Best Feature Documentary December 2010 |
| Boulder International Film Festival | WON – KEEN Hybrid Life Filmmaker Award March 2011 |
| Levante International Film Festival | WON – Best Film WON – Best Editing Sep 2011 |
| American Conservation Film Festival | WON – Green Fire Award Nov 2011 |
| Movies For Grownups Awards | WON – Best Documentary Feb 2012 |
| Addis Ababa International Film Fest | WON – Audience Award May 2012 |
| Grande Prêmio do Cinema Brasileiro | WON – Best Feature Documentary WON – Best Documentary Editing Oct 2012 |
Sales: eOne International
Airlines: Jaguar
Argentina: Energia Enthusiasta
Australia: Hopscotch Films
Belgium, Netherlands & Luxembourg: Wild Bunch Benelux
Brazil: Downtown Films
Canada: eOne
Eastern European PTV: HBO
France: Eurozoom
Germany: Real Fiction Filmverleih
Israel: Nachshon Films
Italy: Officine UBU
Latin American PTV: Energia Enthusiasta
Mexico & Central America: Film House (Septimo Arte)
Poland: Hagi Film
Portugal: Midas Filmes
Romania: Asociatia Culturala Macondo
Russia/CIS: Maywin
Scandinavia: Smile Entertainment
Spain: Canal +
Switzerland: Praesens-Film
Turkey: Dogus Media (FTV)
UK: eOne UK
USA: Arthouse Films
