TFPF 2009 RECIPIENT
$3,500 for post-production and distribution
The Municipal Garbage dump in Guatemala City is the largest dump in central America. It supports a community of 50,000, whose lives are inextricably tied to the dump. The dump feeds families, where over three thousand Guatemalans recycle the trash for one to three dollars a day. They call themselves ‘guajeros.’ Reaching heights of 85 meters, the dump is a tower of symbolism that represents the struggle this community faces. Irina, single mother of 5 children and 2 grandchildren, is raising her family here. She is fighting for her family. Her weathered hands and feet are the dump. They are the 60 year civil war that tore her country apart. They are both the redemption and curse of a beautiful nation.