Fragments of Roger Lerina’s review for the website Matinal Jornalismo during the release of Favela do Papa in theaters.
“Through precious images from the time and current interviews with characters who witnessed that mobilization, the documentary shows how this support was given in defense of the residents’ permanence in their territory. The engagement of the Church, through the Pastoral das Favelas, jurists and the singer, composer and filmmaker Sérgio Ricardo (1932 ⎯ 2020), made a difference ⎯ and the victory was crowned with the historic visit of Pope John Paul II to the favela in 1980, whose images are recovered in the film. Vidigal would become a paradigm of resistance: after three years of struggle, the official decision guaranteeing the permanence of residents in the area was decisive in ending the large-scale removal policy imposed by state governments in Brazil.”