Stephen Daldry occupies a rarefied position. He is one of the few filmmakers to have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director four times in a row and for his first four films: “Billy Elliott,” “The Hours,” “The Reader” and “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” (three of the four were also nominated for Best Picture). Perhaps after years of Oscar-bait material —he has directed six actors in Oscar-nominated performances, namely Julie Walters, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet, and Max von Sydow— Daldry has switched gears for “Trash” a movie set in the slums of Rio with big stars cast in supporting roles.
Sure, the movie features Rooney Mara, Martin Sheen and Brazilian actors Wagner Moura and Selton Mello, but the leads are three unknown Brazilian non-actors (Rickson Tevez, Luis Eduardo, Gabriel Weinstein). It’s essentially a crime picture centering on boys who make a fateful discovery. Here’s the synopsis:
When two trash-picking boys from Rio’s slums find a wallet in amongst the daily detritus of their local dump, little do they imagine that their lives are about to change forever. But when the local police show up, offering a handsome reward for the wallet’s return, the boys, Rafael (Rickson Tevez) and Gardo (Luis Eduardo), realize that what they’ve found must be important. Teaming up with their friend Rato (Gabriel Weinstein), the trio begins an extraordinary adventure as they try to hang onto the wallet, evade the police, and uncover the secrets it contains. Along the way, the boys will have to figure out friend from foe, as they piece together the story of the wallet’s owner José Angelo (Wagner Moura) and realise they can’t trust the police, led by the dangerous Frederico (Selton Mello). But a pair of American missionaries working in their favela – the disillusioned Father Julliard (Martin Sheen) and his young assistant Olivia (Rooney Mara) – might just have the power to knock on the right doors.
“Trash” premiered in Rio last year, but it has yet to hit North America. At least until now. Focus World Pictures will release the movie on October 9th. Watch the first trailer below.