When I heard the premise for Landfill Harmonic in an e-mail I received, I expected it to be a more depressing documentary than it turned out to be. I was expecting these children who played the instruments made from trash to be trying to find happiness in what they were doing, but I had no idea they were part of a legitimate orchestra which went on to perform with some pretty big American bands.

I'm not extremely well-versed in documentaries though I consider myself to be a film buff; I really prefer fictional stories that are well-executed to the feel of documentaries which are filled with interviews and a lot of footage which was filmed first before organizing it into the best story the filmmakers can make. That's how I felt about this documentary in particular: it felt too much like it was edited in a scrambled manner instead of telling a truly compelling story that I could get lost in.

Having seen probably only a handful of documentaries in my life I was glad I had the chance to see a foreign documentary; I think I have only seen two including Landfill Harmonic which I can remember.

The general structure of this film was interesting: there was sort of a 15 to 20 minute introduction in which they explained how the musicians went about making musical instruments from trash, and they briefly showed the actual process of making some of the instruments. After this introduction, the rest of the film focused on the journey of the different kids and of the orchestra as a whole, showing how music strongly benefited all of their lives. Towards the conclusion of the movie it seemed to get repetitive with letting the audience know how successful the orchestra became, but I guess the movie had to sell its point like any other movie.

It was a delight to see this movie through MKE Film for free, but I am not sure if I would revisit it in the next few years.

Very well made documentary. From the depths of abject poverty and environmental travesty, the transformative power of music to lift the human spirit reinforces my opinion that music is the closest we'll get to real magic. A man comes to this community to help with the trash/pollution issues. Overwhelmed by reality, he stays to teach the children music. With more students than instruments, he enlists a ganchero/carpenter to begin building instruments from items pulled from the landfill. He is a good teacher. He is a good man. The effects are equal parts inspiration for the human spirit and dismay at the human condition. Either one should/could bring a tear to your eye.

Lots of documentaries lay claim to being inspiring, but many fall into over-sentimentality or manufactured emotions. However, "Landfill Harmonic" is truly inspiring and uplifting, while always feeling unforced, it's emotions well-earned.

It's also one of those stories that would seem ridiculous and over the top if it weren't true: An ecological engineer comes to work in a poverty stricken Paraguayan town. Once there, he decides instead to follow his dream and become a music teacher. But the town's children – while eager to learn - can't possibly afford instruments. Enter a local genius named 'Cola' who somehow fashions wonderful, playable instruments completely from garbage found in the town's giant garbage landfill. Old oil drums become cellos, discarded forks become bridges on violins.

That story alone would be enough for a film. But the passion the teacher and students then put into learning to play these instruments with ever greater skill, and the reception they get as people discover their story builds and builds, going to surprising and affecting places.

I've read some valid criticisms that the doc needlessly neglects to answer some questions about how things happened, and speeds through certain steps in the story. Also that it is fairly straightforward and flat in it's approach and uninspired technically. All fair. But sometimes a terrific true tale, and the wonderful people in it are enough to make those kinds of flaws seem unimportant. Yes I'd love to know even more details. But what the film gave me was enough to know I'll never forget it.