Dancing with the Devil

By Tom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro.
June 6, 2009

6409095In early 2007 I came across Pastor Dione dos Santos, a charismatic evangelical preacher who tries to save Rio's gangsters from a life of crime with his Bible. After writing about Dione's work in the slums of west Rio for the Guardian, I started following his life and work on a regular basis, alongside the photographer Douglas Engle. Over two fasincating and at times terrifying years on and we have just finished "Dancing with the Devil", a feature documentary based on Dione's work and directed by the Oscar-winning film-maker Jon Blair. The film focuses on Dione's attempts to convert two of Rio's most wanted men before Rio's drug squad can remove them from power. The film's world premiere will take place near Washington on June 19 at the Silverdocs Documentary Festival. Tickets are on sale now.

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