Favela Rising (2006)

Reggae arguably has had the biggest impact on social change worldwide of any musical genre. Although it's often sold to tourists as a happy-go-lucky sound, reggae has long been a tool for political and religious movements: its adoption by Jamaican Rastafarians has helped spread that faith around the world, and Jamaican politicians have likewise utilized reggae tunes as rallying calls for their campaigns. To this day, songs like Chuck Fenda's "Gash Dem" are banned in that country, an indication of the power of the music and the fear it incites in the powers that be. Even beyond Jamaica, reggae artists like Alpha Blondy and Lucky Dube have become icons by challenging governmental policies in their respective African nations. It's no surprise, then, that in Brazil, where reggae has steadily grown in popularity, a grassroots movement known as AfroReggae has become a musical and cultural phenomenon that has begun to transform the lives of the poorest citizens of Rio de Janeiro. Favela Rising is a riveting documentary that chronicles the rise of AfroReggae and the social ills that led to its formation. In Brazil, a "favela" is an urban slum or ghetto, of which there are over 600 in Rio alone. They make American slums look like Beverly Hills, overcrowded and caught in the grip of literal warfare, with drug gangs fighting not only each other but also the police (that is, when the cops aren't taking payoffs). The film focuses on the favela of Vigario Geral, known as "the Brazilian Bosnia," where, in 1993, police went on a rampage, killing people at random in blind retaliation for the murder of four cops by a drug lord. Twenty-one innocent people were killed in one day, including the brother of Anderson Sa. Sa was a typical favela adolescent, looking up to local drug lords the way American kids look up to Michael Jordan and occasionally performing odd jobs for them, like concealing evidence or packaging drugs. But his brother's death pushed him to find a positive alternative for other kids, particularly the black ones who had no role models on the right side of the law. Sa hooked up with activist Jose Junior, forming Grupo Cultural AfroReggae to call attention to the social disorder and the plight of Afro-Brazilians in particular. They began with a newsletter, but realizing the power of music for social change, Sa began to write topical songs. As the group grew, they formed a band called Banda AfroReggae, borrowing instruments and relying on volunteers to teach them percussion. Recognizing the need for youths to feel like part of a group, AfroReggae began youth percussion program with kids drumming on empty metal boxes and gasoline or water containers strapped around their waists. By 1997, AfroReggae had grown to encompass 13 different groups in Vigario, including musicians, singers, rappers, dancers, even martial artists, and by 2001 Banda AfroReggae had been signed by Universal Records. Interestingly, even though the band performed music that railed against violence and drugs, and even though they recruited kids out of the drug game, the drug lords respected the movement and appreciated their efforts to make better lives for the youths. As such, Sa, lead vocalist for the most visible part of the movement, the band, became the most visible representative of AfroReggae and thus the voice of the community. He was able to travel between favelas without fear of being killed, and he mediated discussions with the drug gangs when tensions became heated. Even so, while watching the drama of Favela Rising unfold, there's a sense of dread, like the other shoe's about to drop at any moment -- and drop it does, presenting a tragedy that threatens to halt AfroReggae cold. Favela Rising is a powerful look at a segment of life that the world doesn't get so see very often, even though, as the film points out, between 1987 and 2001, nearly 10 times as many minors were killed in Rio de Janeiro than in Israel and Palestine combined. The music itself is explosive: an up-tempo mix of dancehall, hip-hop, funk, and rock with a percussive Brazilian flavor, although we don't really get enough of it in the documentary. The stage shows -- which the band makes a point of performing in the favelas -- likewise are energy personified, a tribute to the spirit of the people that will never die.  Find out more details at favelarising.com.