Landfill Harmonic


Landfill Harmonic is a 2015 documentary film directed by Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley. It stars and tells the story of Paraguayan music teacher Favio Chavez and his Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a children's orchestra in Paraguay which performs with materials recycled from a trash landfill near Asuncion. In Paraguay, the current administrative director of the orchestra is reported to the prosecution for alleged lack of transparency with donations.
The film debuted on March 18, 2015, and currently holds a 100% approval rating on Rottentomatoes.com.
According to The Huffington Post, "he film is both an exposé on the harsh conditions of slum life and a commentary on the global threats of consumption and waste".

Production

When Luis Szaran and Favio Chavez came to Cateura to start a music school, they realized that they had more students than instruments. Thanks to the resourcefulness of Cola, a Cateurian garbage picker, an orchestra came together, now featuring violins, cellos, and other instruments artfully put together from trash. Los Recyclados de Cateura, now an independent orchestra, recently performed in Brazil and Colombia under Chavez’s direction.

Alejandra Nash says: "I was born in Asuncion, Paraguay. I dreamed of the opportunity to help my country in a creative way; a way of bringing awareness to issues that revolve around children and women in Paraguay, so the idea of a documentary became the first seed. I contacted Juliana, who I met through a friend, and knowing she is a producer we started our research. During that phase, I met with Luis Szaran, the director of a non profit organization that brings music schools to the poorest areas in Paraguay. Los Reciclados story instantly took my breath away. Since then we have gone to Cateura, Paraguay several times filming the children and Cola, who all live there. Cola is the luthier, the sweet and humble garbage picker who makes those wonderful instruments for the children. Favio Chavez is the director and heart of the orchestra. His love and commitment to these children is fascinating"


Juliana Penaranda-Loftus: "We heard a story about an orchestra that was put together using recycled garbage in April of 2009, it was during our first research trip to Paraguay. In the summer 2010, Alejandra and I came back with director of photography and friend Tim Fabrizio. We arrived to do some initial filming in order to produce a trailer. During that trip, we met the first group of children who were part of the recycled Orchestra, those children are now playing with professional Orchestras. We have been following this story since then. We went back in 2011 and have gone twice in 2012. Now there is a new group of children that have joined the orchestra. We have witnessed the commitment that Favio Chavez has towards these children of Cateura, their families and their community. There is a whole social process that happens behind running the orchestra. We have developed very strong ties with them during these years and this is a story that goes way beyond the screen"

Reviews

The film has been given good reviews by noted film critics such as Ken Jaworoski of The New York Times, who said that it was "an inspiring tale" and the children involved in it "wonderful to watch".
The Hollywood Reporter's John DeFore, called it "n unlikely breakthrough story whose happy endings come with asterisks".

Run at film festivals

This film was shortlisted for the Environmental Award at the 2015 Sheffield Doc/Fest documentary festival, where it won a special mention.

U.S. showings

In the United States, the film is shown on HBO.

Denunciation

In May 2016, an original member of the orchestra and two members of the parents' association, filed a complaint with the Office of the Prosecutor against the director's administration, for alleged lack of transparency. The complaint is backed by three senators from Paraguay.

Awards