Bus 174

"The police do the dirty work that society doesn't want to see, but that the public hopes will get done in some dark corner." Do you think that after seeing some Brazilian movies recently that you have a basic idea of the situation reigning in the favelas? José Padilha, director of Tropa de Elite, will very quickly awake you from your naivety. The opening situations with the hostages held on the No. 174 bus serves “merely" as a spring board for getting an overview of the non-functional system. During this reconstruction composed of surviving footage, documents and newly filmed interviews with those involved and with experts you enter the dark waters of the City of God and other places too. The authors make room for all perspectives and opinions. From (un)official to the clearly extreme. But they spare no one. The kidnappers, the police, special units and mainly society itself. On the other hand, they condemn no one. And that’s as it should be. And what went on on the one-seven-four is luckily never forgotten and this is skillfully led to an indescribably powerful climax. Especially the footage of the rampage by the lynch mob are so chilling in a way that only authentic footage can be. Unfortunately I only saw the international film festival version which is a half hour shorter. Even so, it is a documentary of sufficient length to allow it to go sufficiently deeply into the issue. Ônibus 174 isn’t boring for a second. Its power and urgency will drain you. Emotionally, mentally and humanly. Totally. (13.01.2008)