This Brazilian book-based short film fits as much information as possible in its 13 minutes. Most of it is about basic economic connections in random people's everyday life, for example how they buy goods, sell them for more money and use this money to buy food for their families. But apart from this economic context, there are also references to history, agriculture, environment, freedom and society in general. Here and there, it is slightly funny, but as a whole I found this short film fairly forgettable. I am surprised it is so popular and highly rated. Maybe people mistake a fast movie for a good movie. Also the title couldn't be any more random. It looks like a decent student movie and there is nothing really outstanding about it, even taking into account that it was made over 25 years ago. Jorge Furtado was not even 30 when this was made and he has been enjoying a prolific career in the last almost 30 years. I guess he must have improved a lot since then as there is nothing particularly memorable about his work here. Not recommended.

The ironic, heartbreaking and acid "saga" of a spoiled tomato: from the plantation of a "Nisei" (Brazilian with Japanese origins); to a supermarket; to a consumer's kitchen to become sauce of a pork meat; to the garbage can since it is spoiled for the consumption; to a garbage truck to be dumped in a garbage dump in "Ilha das Flores"; to the selection of nutriment for pigs by the employees of a pigs breeder; to become food for poor Brazilian people.Today I have had the chance to see "Ilha das Flores", one of the first works of Jorge Furtado, one of or maybe my favorite Brazilian director in the present days. With a perfect logic, and a pace of video clip, Jorge Furtado exposes the wild Brazilian capitalism, where there are two countries: for those that can afford, and for the millions of miserable that are below a pig in the hierarchy of disputing garbage. This documentary is a devastating and overwhelming social critic to our modern society and may be seen as a funny satire by foreigners, but unfortunately reflects the sad reality of my country. Mandatory masterpiece! My vote is ten.Title (Brazil): "Ilha das Flores" ("Isle of Flowers")

I'm using my personal VHS copy of this excellent short in my environmental awareness classes for high school, and students are always stroked by its accurate and intelligent issues.It always provides very large and useful discussion about environmental issues.With a very well humored screenplay and very well balanced use of fiction, documentary and table top animation, this short gives you an overview of what happens in our affluent society with any natural or produced good, with domestic and industrial waste and discussing some very special social issues.Interesting thing is that this short Ilha days Flores ( Flower Island, in English pronounced Ilya Dass Floresh) it is not outdated, not growing old and unfortunately still shocking when you think of what is happening with all the waste in our society, when people are less important than the profit made.

Not that I've seen a lot, of course. I caught this short in my documentary film class at the beginning of the semester. Unfortunately, I never saw another film better than this one. If you can find it, definitely check it out. The film says more about the human condition in fifteen minutes than most similarly themed films say in two hours. Devilishly humorous, the film hints along the way that there is more at stake than the running joke about a tomato would indicate. It's crucial to know as little as possible, so if you have a good independent video store nearby, seek it out and don't ask questions.