Photography

No Maravilhoso Mundo do Futebol

Julian Germain, Murilo Godoy, Patrícia Azevedo

1998

Julian Germain, Murilo Godoy, Patrícia Azevedo · 1998 · Brazil/UK

A collaborative project in which 50 children from a Belo Horizonte favela photographed their own relationship to football.

A rare participatory-photography project giving cameras directly to the community, avoiding typical favela photojournalism cliches.

The Historian

In No Maravilhoso Mundo do Futebol, we see the favelas of Belo Horizonte through the lens of their own children. This 1998 collaboration between Julian Germain, Murilo Godoy, and Patrícia Azevedo preserves a unique moment in participatory photography, where community members documented their relationship with football. It subverts traditional photojournalism, presenting an intimate and authentic portrait of favela life.

The Psychologist

This project taps into the deep-seated desire for self-expression and belonging among the children of Belo Horizonte's favelas. By handing over cameras, it acknowledges their agency in shaping their own narratives, allowing them to creatively express their emotional connections to football as a source of joy, escape, and identity.

The Sceptic

While No Maravilhoso Mundo do Futebol attempts to subvert traditional representations of favelas, it still relies on a paternalistic framework where adults (Germain and others) facilitate the creative process for 50 children. The boundaries between empowerment and exploitation are blurred, raising questions about authorship, agency, and the true nature of this "collaborative" project.

These are interpretations written in three voices, not quotations from any individual.

Language: Portuguese
Subject: Favela children photographing their own football world
Region: South America
Tone: Celebratory
Difficulty: Familiar

Basalt Publishers; rare, held at IMS photography library, São Paulo

Out of print; archive/library access

Sourcerevistazum.com.br

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