City of God (2002)
Coming Out at 30 August 2002 in theaters.
“Cidade de Deus”
Crime, Drama
City of God is crime film co-directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, released in its home country in 2002 and worldwide in 2003. The story was adapted by Bráulio Mantovani from the 1997 novel of the same name written by Paulo Lins, but the plot is loosely based on real events. It depicts the growth of organized crime in the Cidade de Deus suburb of Rio de Janeiro, between the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1980s, with the closure of the film depicting the war between the drug dealer Li’l Zé and vigilante-turned-criminal Knockout Ned. The tagline is “If you run, the beast catches you; if you stay, the beast eats you.”
The cast includes Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino da Hora, Phellipe Haagensen, Douglas Silva, Alice Braga and Seu Jorge. Most of the actors were, in fact, residents of favelas such as Vidigal and the Cidade de Deus itself.
The film received widespread critical acclaim and was nominated for four Academy Awards in 2004: Best Cinematography (César Charlone), Best Director (Meirelles), Best Film Editing (Daniel Rezende), and Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) (Mantovani). In 2003, it was Brazil’s entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but it did not end up being nominated as one of the five finalists.
Meirelles and Lund went on to create the City of Men TV series and film City of Men (2007), which share some of the actors (notably leads Douglas Silva and Darlan Cunha) and their setting with City of God.
Directors: Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund
Writers: Paulo Lins (novel), Bráulio Mantovani
Stars: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Matheus Nachtergaele
Cast:
| Alexandre Rodrigues | … | Buscapé – Rocket |
| Leandro Firmino | … | Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé |
| Phellipe Haagensen | … | Bené – Benny |
| Douglas Silva | … | Dadinho – Li’l Dice |
| Jonathan Haagensen | … | Cabeleira – Shaggy |
| Matheus Nachtergaele | … | Sandro Cenoura – Carrot |
| Seu Jorge | … | Mané Galinha – Knockout Ned |
| Jefechander Suplino | … | Alicate – Clipper |
| Alice Braga | … | Angélica |
| Emerson Gomes | … | Barbantinho – Stringy |
| Edson Oliveira | … | Barbantinho Adulto – Older Stringy |
| Michel Gomes | … | Bené Criança – Young Benny |
| Roberta Rodrigues | … | Berenice – Bernice |
| Luis Otávio | … | Buscapé Criança – Young Rocket |
| Kiko Marques | … | Cabeção – Melonhead |
| Gustavo Engrácia | … | Editor do Jornal – Rogerio Reis |
| Darlan Cunha | … | Filé-com-Fritas – Steak and Fries |
| Robson Rocha | … | Gelson – Gerson |
| Thiago Martins | … | Lampião |
| Leandra Miranda | … | Lúcia Maracanã |
| Graziella Moretto | … | Marina Cintra |
| Renato de Souza | … | Marreco – Goose |
| Karina Falcão | … | Mulher do Paraíba – Shorty’s Wife |
| Sabrina Rosa | … | Namorada do Galinha – Knockout’s Girlfriend |
| Rubens Sabino | … | Neguinho – Blacky |
| Marcos ‘Kikito’ Junqueira | … | Otávio |
| Edson Montenegro | … | Pai Buscapé – Rocket’s Father |
| Gero Camilo | … | Paraíba – Shorty |
| Felipe Paulino | … | Rafael |
| Daniel Zettel | … | Thiago – Tiago |
| Charles Paraventi | … | Tio Sam – Uncle Sam |
| Luiz Carlos Ribeiro Seixas | … | Touro |
| Paulo ‘Jacaré’ César | … | Tuba |
| Dani Ornellas | … | Vizinha do Paraíba – Shorty’s Neighbor |
| Bernardo Santos | … | Caixa Baixa – Runts |
| Diego Batista | … | Caixa Baixa – Runts |
| Diego Ferreira | … | Caixa Baixa – Runts |
| Marcio Vinicios | … | Caixa Baixa – Runts |
| Micael | … | Caixa Baixa – Runts |
| Rafael de Castro | … | Caixa Baixa – Runts |
| Ramon Francisco | … | Caixa Baixa – Runts |
| Thiago Wallace | … | Caixa Baixa – Runts |
| Alexander Cerqueira | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Alexandre ‘China’ Tavares | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| André Pires Martins | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| António Rodrigues | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Bartolomeu Braga | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Carlos Henrique Avernas | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Cláudio César | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Cleiton Ventura | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Damião Firmino | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Euclides Garcia | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Fábio Castor Conceição | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Felipe Nogueira | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Ivan Martins | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| John Lima | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Jonas Michel | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Leandro Lucas | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Leandro Dias Batista | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Lúcio Andrey | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Luis Carlos Rodrigues Oliveira | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Luís Nascimento | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Marcello Melo Jr. | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Márcio Costa | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang / Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Mário Luiz Costa Oliveira | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Nelson Amaral | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Omar ‘Mazinho’ Barcelos | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Otto Amorim | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Peter Soares | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Rafael de Souza | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Roberto Miguez | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Rómulo ‘Guinomo’ Sech | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Ruy Vitório | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Sérgio Bispo | … | Bando Zé Pequeno – Li’l Zé’s Gang |
| Alex dos Santos | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Anderson Bruno Marques | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Anderson Lugão | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| André Luiz Mendes | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Antoni Guedes | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Bruno Ricardo | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Charles Samuel | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Éder Júlio Martins | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Eduardo ‘BR’ Piranha | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Erick Oliveira | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Fábio ‘Dog’ da Cunha | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Felipe Villela Mendonça | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Frederico Lins | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Guilherme Estevam | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Guilherme William | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Harlem Teixeira | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Leandro Gonçalves | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Leandro Lima | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Leiz Moreira | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Leonardo Melo | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Luis Carlos Oliveira | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Marcelo Melo | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Marcello ‘Máscara’ Alves | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Wallace Araújo | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Wallace Nascimento | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Wanderson ‘Petão’ Lopes | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Wellington Costa Ricardo | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Wemerson Gonçalves | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Wendel Barros | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Yuri Krushewsky | … | Bando Cenoura – Carrot’s Gang |
| Anderson Faria | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Arlindo Lopes | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Carol Meirelles | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Carlos ‘Lencinho’ Smith | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Christiano | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Diego Mendes | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Jéssica da Silva | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Luciana Roque | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Marina Mandonça Pinheiro | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Michele Gonçalves | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Pierre dos Santos | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Renan Monteiro | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Vinicius Faria | … | Cocotas – Groovies |
| Delano Valentim | … | Polícia – Police |
| Ed Money | … | Polícia – Police |
| Fabiano Gonçalves | … | Polícia – Police |
| Felipe Porto | … | Polícia – Police |
| Francisco Marcos | … | Polícia – Police |
| Leo Generoso | … | Polícia – Police |
| Marcelo António Santos | … | Polícia – Police |
| Marcelo Araújo | … | Polícia – Police |
| Marcos Viana | … | Polícia – Police |
| Maurício Figueiras | … | Polícia – Police |
| Ricardo Lira | … | Polícia – Police |
| Ricardo Rocha da Silva | … | Polícia – Police |
| Wagner Mello | … | Polícia – Police |
| Waldeck Roque | … | Polícia – Police |
| Júlio César Siqueira | … | Aristóteles |
| Denise Fonseca | … | Ba |
| Adão Xalebaradã | … | Exu |
| Edward Boggiss | … | Garoto viciado – Addicted Kid |
| Guti Fraga | … | Gerente do supermercado – Supermarket Manager |
| Babu Santana | … | Grande – Big Boy |
| Marcello Costa | … | Irmão Mané Galinha – Knockout Ned’s Brother |
| Marcos Coutinho | … | Irmão Mané Galinha – Knockout Ned’s Brother |
| João Soares | … | Jabá |
| Rafael Fontenele | … | Jovem Trabalhador – Young Worker |
| Rosangela Rodrigues | … | Mãe Buscapé – Rocket’s Mother |
| Jota Farias | … | Motorista do DKW – Driver |
| Mary Sheila | … | Mulher do Neguinho – Blacky’s Wife |
| Gil Torres | … | Mulher do Ônibus – Woman on Bus |
| Paulo Lins | … | Pastor da Igreja – Shepherd of the Church |
| Christian Duurvoort | … | Paulista – Man from São Paulo |
| Olivia Araújo | … | Recepcionista do Motel – Motel Receptionist |
| Sérgio Chapelin | … | Reporter (archive footage) |
| Jonnaton Japiassu | … | Kid #5 |
| Manuel Machado | … | Self (archive footage) |
| Tulé Peak | … | Newspaper Employee |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia