BRATTLEBORO — As part of its mission to create educational initiatives and spotlight issues that raise awareness of the world around us, the Brattleboro Film Festival (BFF) hosted a special free screening of the award-winning documentary film Landfill Harmonic on Oct. 16 for all Brattleboro and Vernon public-school fifth graders.
The film, which takes place mainly in a Paraguayan slum, is, as its filmmakers describe, “a testament to the transformative power of music and the resilience of the human spirit.”
The film screens as a regular part of the festival on Saturday, Oct. 31 at noon.
“The 'sneak peek' screening for 134 students and their teachers tied into the fifth-grade curriculum,” noted Diane LaVerdi, who organized the event and directs family programming at the festival.
“The children get a glimpse of what everyday life is like for kids their age living under vastly different circumstances 5,000 miles away in a country many never heard of,” LaVerdi continued. “More importantly, they shared a tale of remarkable resilience and empowerment, which we hope will inspire everyone.”
Students participated in a post-screening discussion led by LaVerdi.
The festival provided free bus transportation to and from the event, which took place at the New England Youth Theatre on Flat Street.
Landfill Harmonic follows the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a Paraguayan musical youth group whose members live next to one of South America's largest landfills. This unlikely orchestra plays music from instruments made entirely out of garbage.
When their story goes viral, the orchestra is catapulted into the global spotlight. With the guidance of their music director, they must navigate this new world of arenas and sold-out concerts. When a natural disaster devastates their community, the orchestra provides a source of hope for the town.
The film has screened at major festivals globally and has been featured on the Today show, 60 Minutes, the BBC, and CNN, and it has been profiled in Time, Wired, and The Washington Post.
Funding for the student screening was provided by the John M. Bissell Foundation, a charity in Stowe that funds the production, distribution, and exhibition of films in Vermont.