Brazil: Life in Rio’s biggest favela | DW Documentary

Brazilian favelas are home to migrants and the descendants of slaves. And, they are often located on steep, nearly inaccessible mountain slopes. There are many assumptions that are made about favelas. For example, that they’re controlled by drug gangs, that life expectancy is low, and that the murder rate is high. But what’s it really like to live in a favela? What do people there need to do to survive? Do they have many - or any - opportunities to move out? These are some of the questions explored by reporter Matthias Ebert and his team. He lodges with a family in the Favela Rocinha, in a picturesque setting with a view over the beaches of Rio. He meets Bianca, who keeps her head above water with a patchwork of short-term jobs. He meets some of the people controlling the favela. Matthias Ebert can’t reveal their identity. He also meets members of a church, and finds that a new power is emerging in the slums: evangelical Christians wielding their religion as a solution to all problems. #documentary #dwdocumentary ______ DW Documentary gives you knowledge beyond the headlines. Watch top documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. Meet intriguing people, travel to distant lands, get a look behind the complexities of daily life and build a deeper understanding of current affairs and global events. Subscribe and explore the world around you with DW Documentary. Subscribe to: ⮞ DW Documentary (English): ⮞ DW Documental (Spanish): ⮞ DW Documentary وثائقية دي دبليو (Arabic): ⮞ DW Doku (German): ⮞ DW Documentary हिन्दी (Hindi): For more visit: Follow DW Documentary on Instagram: Follow DW Documental on Facebook: We kindly ask viewers to read and stick to the DW netiquette policy on our channel: