Cidade de Deus (City of God) 2002

The streets of the world's most notorious slum, Rio de Janeiro's 'City of God', are a place where combat photographers fear to tread, police rarely go and residents are lucky if they live to the age of 20. In the midst of the oppressive crime and violence, a young boy will grow up to discover that he can view the harsh realities of his surroundings with an artistic eye. In the face of impossible odds, his brave ambition to become a professional photographer becomes a window into his world and ultimately his way out.

Curators' note:

The film presents the harsh social context of the favelas, Brazilian slums, and the violence and drug-dealing present in these contexts as in many other South American slums. A link can be established with Ronald Duarte’s Fogo cruzado, a performance that references the flow of firearms among criminal groups of the factions in Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro.  

Directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, Brazil, 2002. Runtime 130mins