Gabriel Reports the World Cup

Gabriel is a 14-year-old Brazilian who shows us the effects of the 2014 World Cup on his neighborhood in Fortaleza. At first he was ecstatic that the World Cup was coming to his country, but then he found out what exactly this entailed. Houses in the poorer neighborhoods were demolished to make way for a train line. Initially, the trains were meant for the people, but then it turned out that they would only be used by the tourists. Gabriel decided not to succumb to apathy and took a film course. He wanted to show not only the fantastic Brazil from the World Cup promotions, but also the less attractive sides. On a blog, he posted footage he shot himself of bulldozers demolishing his neighborhood. When the local residents organized themselves and protested, the train line was moved. Gabriel now wants to become a journalist and fight for the rights of others. He thinks that FIFA and the Brazilian government could have better spent the money on education, health care and safety. The fun of the World Cup doesn’t make up for the suffering. Meanwhile, Gabriel makes popcorn for local children and organizes outdoor film screenings for them.