City of God

In the Films to See Before You Die strand, Paul Kaye introduces Fernando Meirelles’ award-winning film which centres on the poor of Rio de Janeiro and the armed gangs who run riot, seen through the eyes and camera of Rocket. Rocket escapes the influence of Li’l Zé, who goes on to become the area’s godfather. Over two decades, Rocket witnesses the rise of his peers from children to men and the escalation of the violence as he, distanced but emotionally involved, charts their lives. Based on Paul Lins’ fact-based novel, this is a stunning, violent yet compelling insight into Brazil’s underbelly., Fascinating adaptation of Paolo Lin’s novel about a brutal Rio de Janeiro slum in the ’60s and ’70s, where a budding photographer observes the hopelessness of a society ruled by gangland justice., Fernando Meirelles’ award-winning film centres on the poor of Rio de Janeiro and the armed gangs who run riot, seen through the eyes and camera of Alexandre Rodrigues who escapes the influence of Leandro Firmino da Hora, who goes on to become the area’s ‘godfather’. Set over two decades, Rodrigues sees the rise from children to men of his compatriots and the escalation of the violence as he, both distanced yet emotionally involved, charts their lives. Based on Paul Lins’ fact-based novel, this is a stunning, violent yet compelling insight into Brazil’s underbelly. In Portuguese with Enlglish subtitles., Gritty, award-winning crime drama set over two decades in a slum suburb of Rio de Janeiro. A group of youths grow up, form gangs and fight to take over the neighbourhood. Dir: Fernando Meirelles., Caught up in the violent gang wars of Rio de Janeiro, a group of young men take different paths as they try to rise above their impoverished surroundings., Fernando Meirelles’ City of God is a sweeping tale of how crime affects the poor population of Rio de Janeiro. Though the narrative skips around in time, the main focus is on Cabeleira who formed a gang called the Tender Trio. He and his best friend, Bené (Phelipe Haagensen), become crime lords over the course of a decade. When Bené is killed before he can retire, Lil’ Zé attempts to take out his arch enemy, Sandro Cenoura (Matheus Nachtergaele). But Sandro and a young gangster named Mane form an alliance and begin a gang war with Lil’ Zé. Amateur photographer Buscape (Alexandre Rodrigues) takes pictures of the brutal crime war, making their story famous. City of God was screened at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival., Brilliant, strikingly original adaptation of Paolo Lins’s novel about gangland violence in a Rio de Janeiro slum during the ’60s and ’70s., Adaptation of Paolo Lins’s novel about gangland violence in a Rio de Janeiro slum during the 1960s and ’70s., Brilliant, strikingly original adaptation of Paolo Lins’s novel about gangland violence in a Rio de Janeiro slum during the ’60s and ’70s. Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino da Hora. Directed by Fernando Meirelles., Fernando Meirelles’ award-winning film centres on the poor of Rio de Janeiro and the armed gangs who run riot, seen through the eyes and camera of Rocket. Rocket escapes the influence of Li’l Zé, who goes on to become the area’s godfather. Over two decades, Rocket witnesses the rise of his peers from children to men and the escalation of the violence as he, distanced but emotionally involved, charts their lives. Based on Paul Lins’ fact-based novel, this is a stunning, violent yet compelling insight into Brazil’s underbelly.