City of God (2002 film)
If you run, the beast catches you; if you stay, the beast eats you.
Cano de Aranda · CC0
Set in Rio de Janeiro’s Cidade de Deus suburb, the 2002 Brazilian crime epic *City of God* (Portuguese: *Cidade de Deus*) spans the late 1960s to the early 1980s, tracing the area’s descent into organized crime. Directed by Fernando Meirelles and co-directed by Kátia Lund, the film adapts Paulo Lins’s 1997 novel—itself loosely based on real events—with a screenplay by Bráulio Mantovani. Its tagline warns: “If you run, the beast catches you; if you stay, the beast eats you.”
The story follows a chicken chased by an armed gang through the favela, stopping between the group and a young man nicknamed Rocket. In the 1960s, three amateur thieves—Shaggy, Clipper, and Rocket’s brother Goose—rob businesses and share the loot with locals, who hide them from police. A boy called Li’l Dice convinces them to rob a motel, then guns down the occupants after falsely claiming police are coming. The massacre forces the trio apart: Clipper joins the Church, Shaggy is shot fleeing, and Goose is killed by Li’l Dice as his friend Benny watches.
In the 1970s, Rocket, now a young hippie and aspiring photographer, tries to approach a girl named Angélica but is thwarted by a gang of child criminals called the Runts. Li’l Dice, now calling himself Li’l Zé, builds a drug empire with Benny by eliminating rivals except for Carrot, Benny’s friend. Zé takes over a drug distribution center and forces Carrot’s underboss Blacky to work for him. A tense peace follows, maintained by Zé executing petty criminals, including a Runt. Benny, wanting out, befriends Angélica’s ex-boyfriend Tiago, dates Angélica, and plans to leave the city.
At Benny’s farewell party, an argument with Zé is cut short when Blacky accidentally kills Benny while aiming at Zé. Carrot then kills Blacky. Zé and his soldiers head for Carrot’s hideout, but Zé stops to pursue a girl who rejected him at the party, beating her boyfriend—ex-soldier Knockout Ned—and raping her. After Ned’s brother stabs Zé, Zé’s gang retaliates by shooting into Ned’s home, killing his brother and uncle. A gang war erupts between Carrot and Zé. Ned sides with Carrot, initially vowing to harm only criminals, but loses his morals after shooting a policeman during a bank robbery. Tiago, now a drug addict, joins Zé.
A year later, in 1981, the war’s origin is forgotten. Both sides recruit more soldiers, and Zé arms the Runts. Zé has Rocket photograph him and his gang; a reporter publishes the photos, a major scoop since outsiders can’t safely enter the favela. Rocket fears Zé will kill him, but Zé, jealous of Ned’s media fame, is pleased. Rocket returns for more photos and gets caught between Zé’s gang and police, who retreat when outnumbered. Zé asks for another photo, but Carrot’s gang arrives. In the gunfight, Ned kills Tiago but is then killed by a boy avenging the policeman Ned shot. Police capture Zé and Carrot, planning to show Carrot to the media. Because Zé has been bribing them, they take his money and release him—but Rocket secretly photographs the scene. The Runts meet Zé, pretending to talk, then tackle, mock, and shoot him dozens of times in retaliation for his earlier murder of a Runt.
The cast includes Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Jonathan and Phellipe Haagensen, Douglas Silva, Daniel Zettel, Seu Jorge, and Alice Braga in her film debut. Most actors were actual residents of favelas like Vidigal and Cidade de Deus. The film earned four Academy Award nominations at the 76th ceremony: Best Cinematography (César Charlone), Best Director (Meirelles), Best Film Editing (Daniel Rezende), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Mantovani). It was Brazil’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 75th Oscars but didn’t become a finalist. In 2015, the Brazilian Film Critics Association ranked it 8th on its list of the 100 greatest Brazilian films. After its success, Meirelles and Lund created the *City of Men* TV series and its 2007 film adaptation, which share actors (notably Silva and Darlan Cunha) and the same setting.
- country
- Brazil
- director
- Fernando Meirelles
- co-director
- Kátia Lund
- screenwriter
- Bráulio Mantovani
- academy_award_nominations
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Lore & Background
The film follows Rocket, a young man from the City of God favela who dreams of becoming a photographer. In the 1960s, the Tender Trio—Shaggy, Clipper, and Goose—commit robberies and share the money with the community. Young Li'l Dice convinces them to rob a motel, then guns down the occupants, forcing the trio to disband. Goose is killed by Li'l Dice. In the 1970s, Li'l Dice, now called Li'l Zé, builds a drug empire with Benny. Rocket witnesses Zé take over a drug distribution center. Benny decides to leave the drug trade but is accidentally killed at his farewell party. Zé then rapes the girlfriend of Knockout Ned, a peaceful ex-soldier, and Ned's family is attacked, sparking a gang war between Zé and Carrot. Ned sides with Carrot but loses his morals after shooting a policeman. Rocket takes photos of Zé's gang, which are published. During a final confrontation, Ned is killed, and Zé is captured by police but released after bribing them. The Runts, a group of child criminals, then shoot Zé dead. Rocket photographs Zé's body and chooses to publish that image to get an internship.
Reader's Guide
City of God is significant for its raw depiction of life in Rio de Janeiro's favelas and its use of non-professional actors, many of whom were actual residents of favelas such as Vidigal and Cidade de Deus. The film earned four Academy Award nominations—for Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Film Editing, and Best Adapted Screenplay—and was Brazil's submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 75th Academy Awards, though it was not selected as a finalist. In 2015, the Brazilian Film Critics Association ranked it 8th on its list of the 100 greatest Brazilian films. The film's legacy lies in its unflinching portrayal of systemic violence and the cycle of crime, as well as its influence on Brazilian cinema and global recognition of favela stories.
Did You Know?
- Most of the actors were actual residents of favelas such as Vidigal and Cidade de Deus.
- The film is loosely based on real events.
- Alice Braga made her film debut in City of God.
- The tagline is: 'If you run, the beast catches you; if you stay, the beast eats you.'
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