Redemption Film Analysis

In the Oscar nominated short film documentary, Redemption, directors Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill create a film about the New York City canners, who are the working poor that tries to survive by redeeming cans and bottles by scavenging through the city’s garbage cans and recycling bins. It puts into prospective of real people struggling to get by. Walter, the sixty-year-old Vietnam Veteran who redeems cans for a living, explains the effects of a life of canning, “This is a full-time job. Because if you don't do it full-time, you ain't gonna get what you need” (Alpert). Because the film is relevant, engaging, and informative, Redemption, is an excellent short film documentary.
Redemption is relevant today because the film shows how the working

In the recent Can Science, “Recycling Cans: A Vital Source of Income for the Poor,” it states that, “Today, canners earn between 5 and 10 cents per redeemed can. They can earn up to 25% more per item if they separate the cans from the bottles, and the glass by color” (“Recycling”). Additionally, the Oscar-nominated documentary short film, Redemption, brings viewers into these people’s lives and viewers can see the soul crushing and hard work that goes into canning and how candid they can be. For example, one adverse confrontation followed by a caustic tone caused Susan to fight a rival canning Chinese woman over cans, which led to an abhorrence towards each other. Although canners are fighting to survive, it also shows that they were averse to giving up those cans because to them they see it as losing a percent of a pay check. In addition, the film has many diverse canners to bring a prospective into canning. The NPR broadcasting, “In 'Redemption,' Collecting Cans to Survive,” sadly explains the recent mishaps of Walter, “Very sadly, he passed away about six months ago. He was living underneath the West Side Highway and was hit by an Amtrak train” (Block). For one thing, the ethos of Redemption is doing what you can to survive and Walter did exactly that. The film was engaging and exquisite to