Excerpts from Marco Fialho’s review for the Cinefialho blog during the release of Favela do Papa in theaters.
“Despite being a serious problem in Rio de Janeiro, we don’t see many films that talk about the issue of land and the injustices inherent to it. Favela do Papa, by director Marco Antônio Pereira, not only revisits this issue but also places it in the perspective of a collective struggle for the right to housing. The documentary alternates testimonies from residents with archival images to reconstruct the history of the Vidigal Favela, known for resisting the designs of government power.
Perhaps one of the most incredible moments in Favela do Papa is in the testimonies gathered during the filming of Bandeira de Retalhos. Marco Antônio Pereira captures scenes and records memorable testimonies with Antônio Pitanga, Osmar Prado and Sérgio Ricardo himself. But the participation of the residents resisting the evictions was really the most fundamental. Little by little, the event gained political relevance, attracting politicians who began to embrace the cause as well. The documentary details the tense history of the attempted evictions and the residents’ struggle. The government was determined to eliminate the residents of the favela without ending poverty, just to move them to some far-off corner of the city. In short, to remove the poor from the sight of the rich and tourists who came to see the natural landscapes of Rio’s South Zone.”