Waste Land
2010 · Movie · Not Rated · 90 min · ★ 7.6 · 89% critics
A celebrated artist travels to a massive landfill outside Rio de Janeiro to collaborate with local recyclables pickers on large-scale portraits made from discarded materials. As the project grows, the film follows how creative work, community pride, and new opportunities can reshape how people see their lives and the world around them.
Also known as Art Is Garbage
Where to watch
Streaming on Curiosity Stream.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 2010
- Release date
- 2010-01-24
- Language
- English
- Rated
- Not Rated
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 89/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.6/10 (127 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want an uplifting, people-focused documentary about art, dignity, and second chances, in the vein of Searching for Sugar Man or 20 Feet from Stardom; Not for you if you dislike feel-good storytelling or debates about ethics and representation.
Pros: inspiring human stories; art with purpose; eye-opening setting | Cons: feels sentimental at times; questions about perspective; slow early stretch
Themes
- garbage
- empowerment
- rio de janeiro
- artist
- dead child
- garbage dump
- landfill
- woman director
- dignity
Awards & recognition
- Sundance World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary · 2010
- Academy Award — Best Documentary Feature Film · 2011 · nominated
Cast & crew
Vik Muniz
as Himself
Directed by Lucy Walker