filmbore pick of the week - City Of God

City Of God (Cidade de Deus)

Director: Fernando Meirelles Kátia Lund (co-director)
Screenplay: Bráulio Mantovani
Starring: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagenssen, Douglas Silva, Seu Jorge, Alice Braga, Matheus Nachtergaele
Year: 2002
Language: Portuguese
UK rental release: July 2003

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Brazil this week. And another near-miss to Oscar glory. I really hope a lot of you reading this have already seen the heady, real drama that is City Of God, as there are rarely any foreign language films out there that carry such original premise while also having the necessary impact that it did upon its release. Let's find out why:

We open on a chicken on the run. A gang of lads chase after the feathered beast through the labyrinth of the favelas, hoping to catch their prize. Led by Li'l Ze (Leandro Firmino, Cafundó), their hunt is sporadic and bustling, as they negotiate the muddled back streets, shouting, guns in hand.

Because here, in the Cidade de Deus, the "City Of God", even the kids have guns. The town has changed over the years, with its initial inception intending to be a urban Samaritan to the lost, with homeless families being saved by its potential. Since, it's forgotten its role for society, allowing the youth to dominate its veins with crime and violence.

The gang run into a main street, hoping to head off their plucky prey and run into another resident of the favela, Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues, Forbidden To Forbid). He stands, bemused, camera in hand. Li'l Ze calls to him to catch the bird before it gets away. 

Then, suddenly, with some commotion, Rocket finds himself caught in the cross-fire between the gang and a fleet of policemen.

We go back to the sixties, for Rocket's first story of many - the Tender Trio. Robbing gas trucks travelling through their neighbourhood, they were the first real gangsters of the town. Including Rocket's brother, Goose, they were the coolest kids on the block, with youngsters Li'l Dice (Douglas Silva, Last Stop 174) and his best friend Benny tagging along.

Li'l Dice comes up with new ideas to better the Trio's takings. One sterling plan is to rob local motels, as the residents will be swimming with cash. But one motel job goes wrong, leading to further complications for the trio.

As we continue the journey through Rocket's narration, through the seventies and eighties, we'll see the evolution of this city through his dreams of becoming a photographer, his love of Angélica (Alice Braga, Only God Knows, Elysium) but more importantly, see Li'l Dice become Li'l Ze.

Li'l Ze begins to take control of the entire drugs trade with Benny (Phellipe Haagensen, Máncora, Sonhos de Peixe), the only guy that Li'l Ze listens to. Yet, there is a different nature to his childhood friend. As a gang war brews between Li'l Ze and the other major player, Carrot (Matheus Nachtergaele, Bald Mountain), Benny is the key for fragile peace. 

Yet, once Li'l Ze makes an enemy of Knockout Ned (Seu Jorge, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Escapist)  things really start to shake up.

Adapted from the novel by Paulo Lins and loosely based on real events, City Of God lays out the progression of organised crime in the Cidade de Deus through three decades.

It was presented as Brazil's candidate for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2003 Academy Awards. It was elected as one of the key five choices that year. However, if it had the it would not have been eligible for it's four nominations the following year: César Charlone for Best Cinematography, Daniel Rezende for Best Editing, Bráulio Mantovani for Adapted Screenplay and Fernando Meirelles for Best Directing. Unfortunately, it didn't take any of the gongs (The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King taking the lion share) but these are four categories rarely considered for foreign films, granting City Of God with the necessary, well deserved gravitas it still retains to this day. Thankfully, it did pick up some awards globally, with Rezende getting his trophy for Editing at The BAFTAs.

Amidst such accolades, and with the anticipation such promotion can bring, there's a tangible presence that this film brings. Something that you'll pick up, which I felt strongly the first and still the most recent time I've watched it, is that City Of God has an extremely addictive quality to it. It moves as such a well delivered pace that you find yourself settling within its world with ease.

As a picture that proudly presents a character all of its own, it beautifully handles numerous other character's back stories to create the world within the growing city. Characters are introduced by their street-names and nicknames which, where being a true rendition of how a younger generation of this background would address each other, lends to build a quick canvas for each role before they reveal their matching personalities. 

Most of the cast are real inhabitants of the Brazilian favelas, including the real Cidade de Deus itself. It's in these choices that the film plays a lot of its trump cards. All the young actors are simply mind-blowing! Li'l Dice in particular is a terrifying young boy, commanding attention from all that witness his disregard and power. 

Both elements of the role, of Li'l Dice and his evolved persona as Li'l Ze maintain the movie's stained heart, and this individual is played brilliantly by both actors, with "the big bad" becoming the icon of the film. Li'l Ze is so relentless...terrifying in fact. He enjoys his life so much. His gusto and reverie frighteningly compliments his evil resolve with such force you cannot ignore his attractive, if imposing, presence.

Benny's a strong character also. His transformation is an appealing element, if minor within the plethora of the tales at hand. This approach humanises an otherwise frightening member of the gang, while his growing friendship with the "groovies" creates an interesting dynamic between him and Li'l Ze.

Our narrator and star, Rocket, is also very charismatic in the telling of each chapter thanks to a wonderful turn by Alexandre Rodrigues. His role does take a slight back-seat, smartly so, as to allow each story to flourish in their own right. Yet, Rodrigues is rich enough in his delivery of the part, while the way his character is written with a perspective of his home town and its inhabitants, that he still manages to have an endearing presence, which is remarkable when considering how he's surrounded by so many colourful, well drafted characters.

A lot of this is thanks to such detailed and refreshing writing. There's a lot take in in this rich story. An astonishing script handed to such talented young performers is weaved within numerous other techniques; a blessing to the picture as a whole. With gorgeous music throughout the whole piece, with freshly composed songs blended with known anthems, Rocket takes our hand through the history of the town while structured within fresh songs from the region and seminal pieces from each era.

Yet it's the film's appearance that's the most striking. With dynamic shooting. fast paced. exciting, even in the opening shots, some of the cinematography is outstanding. Bright saturation make the images dance on screen. Overall, it's mostly coated with a copper-like template, building a unique look which has become synonymous with the film. And the editing is superb. From the wonderful opening, with razor sharp cuts of a chef sharpening his blade, from the off you know you're in for a treat.

This opening is not suitable for vegetarians. In fact, there are quite a few scenes that may not be ideal for those of a weaker disposition. The violence will disturb some of you - not so much in its activity but its dark existence and blatant approach. Some of the scenes are quite shocking, yet the realism on display creates further stature within the piece. There's even violence towards children which is disturbing, if profound, and is vital to portray the horrendous environment that we are entranced in.

Everything fits perfectly: performances, writing, directing, cinematography, story, music, lighting, editing...the list goes on. It's a formidable film that should be seen by anyone. That includes you. Go and watch this film immediately. You will not be disappointed!

At 135 minutes, City Of God is a long film yet, from the moment we're introduced to our flustered chicken, fluttering its wings in despair, it absolutely flies by. So many styles are at play that it could have ended up messy. Instead, thanks to Meirelles and Lund's stellar direction and Rezende's complex editing, it's an effervescent cocktail, perfectly balanced in each juxtaposed ingredient like a perfect Caipirinha. 


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