GARAPA

José Padilha creates a devastating and depressing observation of hunger in Brazilian cities and outskirts in Garapa. Leaving behind his usual tales of the Rio favelas in Ônibus 174 and his Berlin Golden Bear-winning Tropa de elite, Padilha puts a human face on the often numbing statistics of world hunger by showing us the day-to-day struggle of three families. Padilha filmed them - who live in urban and rural areas - over several weeks, and the result is a haunting and unforgettable experience that immerses us in the intimate details of the harsh existence of these people. (Christopher Bourne)