▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁release , ▁" F av ela ▁R ising ▁enc aps ul ates ▁the ▁Vo y ▁philosophy ▁of ▁optim ism ▁and ▁self - emp ower ment . ▁The ▁film ' s ▁message ▁of ▁hope ▁transform s ▁people , ▁motiv ates ▁and ▁insp ires ▁us ▁to ▁action ." ▁T elling ▁the ▁true ▁story ▁of ▁one ▁man ' s ▁struggle ▁against ▁violence ▁and ▁rac ism ▁to ▁start ▁a ▁social ▁movement ▁for ▁peace , ▁F av ela ▁R ising ▁won ▁more ▁than ▁ 3 5 ▁major ▁international ▁awards ▁and ▁was ▁short ▁listed ▁for ▁an ▁Academy ▁Award ▁nom ination . ▁It ▁premier ed ▁at ▁the ▁Trib eca ▁Film ▁Festival ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁was ▁seen ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁through ▁the ▁film ▁festival ▁circuit . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁it ▁opened ▁in ▁the aters ▁across ▁the ▁U . S . ▁and ▁Brazil ▁and ▁later ▁made ▁its ▁U . S . ▁television ▁debut ▁on ▁H BO / C in em ax . ▁ ▁S que ez ed ▁by ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁capital ▁mark ets ▁crisis ▁and ▁unable ▁to ▁raise ▁additional ▁vent ure ▁fund ing , ▁Vo y ▁rest ruct ured ▁its ▁operations , ▁including ▁lay - offs ▁of ▁staff ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁and ▁Latin ▁America , ▁and ▁put ▁itself ▁up ▁for ▁sale . ▁V O Y ▁however ▁did ▁not ▁close ▁transactions ▁ ▁with ▁compet ing ▁buy ers ▁and ▁ceased ▁operations . ▁ ▁The ▁De al ▁magazine ▁reported , ▁" Esp uel as ▁couldn ' t