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[edit] General Information

Sociopolitical Documentary hosted by Cleo Rocos, published by BBC in 2014 - English narration

[edit] Cover

[edit] Information

As the eyes of the world turn to Rio de Janeiro for the 2014 World Cup, this three-part observational series reveals the truth about life inside Rio's famous shanty-towns, the favelas, through the lives of people who live there. The government has launched a military campaign to wrest control of the favelas from the drug gangs, a process they call 'pacification'.

[edit] Peace

The first episode is filmed in one of the first favelas to be pacified, Cantagalo, a labyrinth of secret stairways that sits high on the hills overlooking the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. It follows a delivery man who carries fridges and ovens up Cantagalo's steep staircases, his wayward son, and a graffiti artist who has been told his house is unsafe and has to be demolished.

[edit] War

This episode takes a look at the drug-trafficking, gang-controlled favelas, which are being pacified by the government's special forces ahead of the World Cup and the Olympic Games. In the favela Complexo da Mare, Carlos runs the local Residents' Association. Until a few years ago, he was a high-ranking drug trafficker himself, but when he found out his wife Adrianna was pregnant with twins, he decided to take a more conventional career path. Now Carlos is campaigning against the government's incursions. Meanwhile, in the favela Complexo do Lins, Breguete has reached the finals of a dance competition. All the while, the government incursions are becoming more and more frequent and violent, with demonstrations against the World Cup and Olympics breaking out across the city.

[edit] Ingenuity

This episode celebrates the resourcefulness of some of Rio's poorest residents, looking at how favela residents exploit whatever opportunities come their way. Rosie and her husband Marcos used to work on Rio's landfill but when they heard it was going to close, they decided to start their own business, a recycling centre in their own backyard. Down on the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, favela entrepreneur Assis has a new business plan, whilst Jorge the sea scavenger rakes the sand beneath the waves looking for treasures left behind by the tourists and rich local residents. Thamy Delicia is a rising star in the favela funk scene. However, her explicit lyrics and provocative dancing mean that she needs to clean up her act if she is going to make it big outside of the favela and win the respect of her evangelical mother.