BUS 174 aka ONIBUS 174

Year: 2002
USA: Thinkfilm
UK: Metrodome Distribution
Cast: Yvonne Bezerra de Mello, Sandro do Nascimento, Rodrigo Pimentel, Luiz Eduardo Soares
Directors: Felipe Lacerda, Jose Padilha
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese (English subtitles)
UK: 120 mins
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language, violence and hard drugs references
USA Release Date: 8 October 2003 (Limited Release - New York)
UK Release Date: 30 April 2004


Synopsis

BUS 174 is a careful investigation of the hijack of a bus in Rio, based on an extensive research of stock footage, interviews and official documents.

The hijack took place in June 12, 2000 (Valentines day in Brazil) and was broadcast live for four and a half hours. The whole country stopped to watch the drama on TV.

The film tells two parallel stories. Not only does it explain the dramatic events that unfolded as the police tried, and failed, to handle the hijack situation; but it also tells the amazing life story of the hijacker, revealing how a typical Rio de Janeiro street kid was transformed into a violent criminal because society systematically denied him any kind of social existence.

Both stories are interwoven in such a way that they end up explaining why Brazil, and other countries with similar social and economic problems, are so violent.