Planet in Focus

Seated atop the sullied waters of Brazil’s Bay of All Saints, rows of palafitas—haphazard shacks supported by stilts—house a landless urban community slated for relocation. Over the course of six years, Norato, a refrigerator repairman raised in these sea-lodged slums, acquaints us with the diverse personal histories and daily struggles of Geni, Jesus and Dona Maria, three single mothers settled on the bay.

The government’s efforts to reclaim the occupied waters in the name of ecological restoration mean an uncertain future for each of the hardworking families, who cannot be sure if the promise of social housing will be kept. Offering a glimpse into the complexities of urban poverty, Bay of All Saints is a telling portrait of bureaucratic inefficacy and its impacts on communities told through the experiences and stories of the women’s fight for a home.

Audience Award Winner, Best Documentary, SXSW Film Festival
Jury Award, Best Documentary Feature, Woods Hole Film Festival

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