City of God
Overview
City of God is a 2002 Brazilian crime drama film directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, based on the 1997 novel of the same name by Paulo Lins. The film is set in the Cidade de Deus (City of God), a housing project built in the 1960s in Rio de Janeiro that became one of the most violent favelas in Brazil. The film follows the lives of several young people growing up in the City of God from the 1960s to the 1980s. The film is narrated by Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), a young man who dreams of becoming a photographer. He is a witness to the violence that surrounds him, but he is not a participant. The film follows the rise of the drug trade in the City of God, led by Li'l Zé (Leandro Firmino), a ruthless, ambitious psychopath who will kill anyone who gets in his way. He is opposed by his childhood friend, Benny (Phellipe Haagensen), who is more charismatic and less violent, and by Knockout Ned (Seu Jorge), a young man who becomes a drug dealer after his girlfriend is raped and his brother is killed. The film is shot in a kinetic, hyperactive style, with fast editing, handheld cameras, and freeze frames. The film is not a glamorization of violence; it is a brutal, unflinching look at the cycle of poverty, crime, and death that traps young people in the favela. The film ends with Rocket finally getting his break: he takes a photograph of Li'l Zé being arrested by the police, and the photograph is published on the cover of a magazine. Rocket escapes the City of God, becoming a successful photographer. Li'l Zé is killed by a gang of children, led by a group of kids who call themselves the Runts. The film ends with the Runts taking over the drug trade, continuing the cycle. City of God was a critical and commercial success, earning over $30 million worldwide on a $3.3 million budget. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Cinematography. It is widely considered one of the greatest films of the 21st century.
