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Waste Land

“What happens in the world's largest trash city will transform you.”

2010 · 1 h 30 min
Directed by Lucy Walker · USA · American Independent Cinema
Documentary

Where to watch in the United States: Free: Kanopy, Plex Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Fandango At Home. Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDB; availability changes.

Cast

Vik Muniz

Credits

Cinematography: Ernesto Herrmann Dudu Miranda Aaron Phillips
Music: Moby
Editing: Pedro Kos
Produced by: Angus Aynsley Hank Levine

Plot

An uplifting feature documentary highlighting the transformative power of art and the beauty of the human spirit. Top-selling contemporary artist Vik Muniz takes us on an emotional journey from Jardim Gramacho, the world's largest landfill on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, to the heights of international art stardom.

Sinekatalog’s take

A moving documentary about an artist who works with the pickers of a vast landfill and turns their lives into portraits made of rubbish. It finds dignity without sentimentality and shows how art can change a person's view of their own life. Warmly recommended.Sinekatalog’s own editorial review – not a user or critic quote.

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Ratings

IMDb: 7.8 / 10 (9,119 votes)
IMDb rating and vote count from the IMDb ratings dataset (October 2026). Scores change over time.

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