USA: Jason Kohn's documentary film "Manda Bala," which chronicles tales of corruption and poverty in Sao Paulo, hits U.S. theatres
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- ITN Source
USA: Jason Kohn's documentary film "Manda Bala," which chronicles tales of corruption and poverty in Sao Paulo, hits U.S. theatres
Film maker Jason Kohn talks about "Manda Bala," a documentary which explores corruption and violence in Brazil's capital. In his directorial debut "Manda Bala," Jason Kohn paints a powerful picture of violence, wealth and extreme poverty in the teeming city of Sao Paulo. While he brings the feeling of an indie flick to the big screen, Kohn weaves a compelling non-fictional narrative. "It's about how a powerful corrupt politician can't steal two billion U.S. dollars from the poorest people in the world without there being enormous social effects. So when we follow that path of how stealing that kind of money from such disenfranchised poor people, what happens after that you start to see an entire cycle of corruption, poverty, violence and industry." Through its characters, "Manda Bala" explores some of the various cottage industries that have cropped up as a result of the violence and poverty, like a frog farm used to launder money by a powerful and corrupt politician, a plastic surgeon who pioneers a reconstructive ear surgery for kidnap victims, and the businesses of kidnapping and bullet-proofing of automobiles. The film has already garnered kudos and won the Best Documentary Feature Award and an award for Excellence in Cinematography at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. While Kohn expects there to be a buzz in Brazil, he hopes the film will have a far greater reach and resonate with audiences around the world. "Manda Bala" hits theaters in North America on August 17, 2007.
ITN Source | August 16, 2007
