Bay of All Saints 2012
Distributed by Women Make Movies, 115 W. 29th Street, Suite 1200,New York, NY, 10001; 212-925-0606
Produced by A Crowded Peninsula and Milkhaus
Directed by Annie Eastman
DVD , color, 74 min.
College - General Adult
Government, Latin America, Poverty, Urban Areas
Date Entered: 12/17/2013
ALA Notable: yes
Reviewed by Brian Boling, Temple University Libraries
This beautifully photographed look at the makeshift bayside slums of Salvador, Bahia is reminiscent of the films Waste Land by Lucy Walker and Boca de Lixo by Eduardo Coutinho, both documentaries about Brazilian trash pickers. Unlike in Waste Land, however, the subjects of Bay of All Saints don’t have a contemporary artist, deus ex machina, to provide a fleeting taste of success and riches. Instead, we see the real life struggle of three single women to maintain their dignity and fight for basic human rights in a corrupt society whose promise of better living conditions remains unfulfilled.
By following neighborhood refrigerator repairman Norato, the filmmakers gained incredible access to the three women, their families, and their dwellings. Another of the film’s strengths is the six-year time span during which filming occurred. These aspects give viewers an intimate familiarity with how the subjects’ lives develop, making it particularly heart-breaking to watch the community’s children grow up in poverty. This well-made, compelling documentary will find use in Latin American Studies, Women’s Studies, and Urban Studies Departments.
Awards
- Audience Award, Best Feature Documentary, South by Southwest Film Festival
- Audience Award, Best Feature Documentary, Woods Hole Film Festival