City of God
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
City of God is a 2002 crime film directed by Fernando Meirelles, starring Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen. It drew a wide audience and shaped its genre.
Plot
City of God (Portuguese: Cidade de Deus) is a 2002 Portuguese-language epic crime film directed by Fernando Meirelles and co-directed by Kátia Lund. The screenplay, written by Bráulio Mantovani, is adapted from the 1997 novel by Paulo Lins, though the plot is also loosely based on real events. The film portrays the rise of organized crime in the Cidade de Deus suburb of Rio de Janeiro between the late 1960s and early 1980s, culminating in a war between drug dealer Li'l Zé and vigilante-turned-criminal Knockout Ned. Its tagline is, "If you run, the beast catches you; if you stay, the beast eats you."
The film features a cast including Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Jonathan and Phellipe Haagensen, Douglas Silva, Daniel Zettel, Seu Jorge, and the film debut of Alice Braga.
Production
Written by Bráulio Mantovani, the film was produced by O2 Filmes. Ed Cortês composed the score. César Charlone handled the cinematography. The film runs 129 minutes. The crew and editing refined every shot.
Reception
On a budget of $3,300,000, City of God grossed $30,641,770 worldwide at the box office. A critic consensus praised its screenplay and score.
Legacy
The film's influence spread across the century; its narrative and tone echo in much later cinema.
See also
References
- "The 100 Greatest Films of All Time". topfilms100. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
- Ebert, Roger. The Great Movies. Broadway Books.
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