The Ministry of Culture submitted it for consideration of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the 82nd Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, but was not nominated.

[3] The film portrays the fictional story of Lúcia, a widowed middle class piano teacher whose 18-year-old son Rafael is imprisoned before the riots because of his participation in a car accident which resulted in the death of a girl.

While visiting her son at jail, Lúcia meets Ruiva (Redheaded), lawyer of "the Professor", leader of the PCC (referred in the movie as "The Command").

[4] Salve Geral lampoons the mass media for generating panic among the population of São Paulo with its sensationalistic coverage of the riot and not revealing the real cause of the revolt, which was the degrading situation of the state prison system.

In retaliation, the leaders of the criminal organization commanded from within the prisons, through mobile phones, simultaneous riots and attacks on law enforcement officials.

[1] According to some sources, the film, specially Andréa Beltrão's performance, was very well received by the 200 members of the Academy which saw it at its official screening for Oscar voters at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on November 20, 2009.