My Brazilian photographer friend Camila Girardelli recently turned me on to one of her projects, an award winning movie. Filmed over nearly 3 years, the award winning Brazilian movie 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 people as they recreate photographic images of themselves out of garbage reveals both the dignity and despair of the catadores as they begin to re-imagine their lives. The movie looks truly fantastic! Check out this trailer and Camila’s wide variety of photography from high fashion to documentary.