Waste Land in French cinemas now
Set in Jardim Gramacho near Rio de Janeiro, the world’s largest garbage dump is set to Lucy Walker’s Oscar-nominated documentary trailing the journey of artist Vik Muniz. One of today’s most influential Brazilian artists, Muniz leaves his home of Brooklyn returning to his native country with the project to photograph three thousand catadores - pickers of recyclable materials. The result is a series entitled Pictures of Garbage: large-scale reproductions of Muniz’s portraits of these remarkable individuals. Transforming the medium of their daily work, Waste Land expresses that moment of freedom when art can be the possibility of a better future: all proceeds from the sale of the portraits will be donated to the workers. Waste Land screens in French cinemas from 23 March. Text Sophie Pinchetti