rio's favelas have roused international interest since the 80's, when global news broadcasted images portraying these communities as illegal kingdoms within the city of rio de janeiro, ruled by drug lords and impenetrable to the police.

the improbable reality of heavily armed gangs openly and peacefully coexisting with law abiding families has intrigued sociologists for over 30 years. Simultaneously, the paradox of the most privileged views belonging to some of the less privileged communities continues to dazzle visitors from around the world.

while visitors engaged in an exotic flirtation with these sometimes idealized but always fascinating neighborhoods, cariocas faced the more difficult reality of navigating the many challenges that accompany life inside a favela. similar in definition, yet quite different from one another, favelas are cities within the city -  organisms that breathe at their own rhythm, and live by their own rules.