Sao Paulo, sp

After Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo is Brazil's second metropolis. It has more than sixteen million inhabitants. There is a great number of homeless people, like in every South American city. Life goes fast and not always easy, but then again it is an exciting and seething place to be. Sao Paulo is a melting pot of different cultures, a city that would nave exploded long ago in the West, but hangs on in Brazil.
Director Olivier Koning has succeeded in making a subtle portrait of the city of Sao Paulo. He is not interested in the stereotypes of South America but handles the medium of documentary in a personal and invigorating way, and thus conveys his view of the city. Koning does not give value judgements of the images of Sao Paulo that he shows, but only intends to show how life in this city is for its various inhabitants. The city is sometimes called 'The Big Onion': Koning peels it tunic by tunic and unveils the core.