ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the over-inscription of Rio de Janeiro's favelas through a specific discussion of three interconnected themes: realist aesthetics and the representation of favelas; the consumption of favela experiences through tours and artistic products; and finally the emergence of new forms of favela authorship. It includes media and artistic representations from within and outside the favelas that are shaping sensibilities and perceptions of what the favelas entail. Focusing on aesthetics, consumption, and authorship, the chapter primarily dealing with the imaginary aspects of cultural expressions rather than with the operational and economic logic of cultural productions. Realist aesthetics in documentaries and fiction films such as the ones mentioned in the chapter sought the revelation of a 'realist reality', even when this 'reality' was seen as shaped by the media or the presence of the camera. In the 1960s, the Cinema Novo and urban directors such as Nelson Pereira dos Santos made the favelas a crucial site for their realistic cinema.
