Cidade de Deus (2002)  City of God 上帝之城
Directed by Fernando Meirelles
Kátia Lund (co-director)

Writing credits Paulo Lins (novel)
Bráulio Mantovani (screenplay)

Genre: Crime / Drama (more)
User Rating:  8.7/10 (54,296 votes)  top 250: #18

Cast overview, first billed only:  
Alexandre Rodrigues ....  Buscapé - Rocket
Leandro Firmino ....  Zé Pequeno - Li'l Zé (as Leandro Firmino da Hora)
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 de Souza ....  Bené Criança - Young Benny (as Michel De Souza Gomes)
Roberta Rodrigues ....  Berenice - Bernice
Luis Otávio ....  Buscapé Criança - Young Rocket
Maurício Marques ....  Cabeção - Melonhead
 (more)

Also Known As:
City of God (International: English title) (UK)
Cité de Dieu, La (France)
God's Town (International: English title)
MPAA: Rated R for strong brutal violence, sexuality, drug content and language.
Runtime: 130 min / Canada:135 min (Toronto International Film Festival)
Country: Brazil / France / USA
Language: Portuguese
Color: Color
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Certification: Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) / Australia:MA (TV rating) / South Korea:18 / Singapore:M18 (video rating) (version 2) / Iceland:16 / Argentina:16 / Australia:R / Brazil:16 / Finland:K-18 / France:-16 / Germany:16 (bw) / Hong Kong:III / Italy:T / Japan:R-15 / Netherlands:16 / New Zealand:R18 / Norway:15 / Peru:18 / Philippines:R-18 / Portugal:M/16 / Singapore:R(A) (original rating) (cut) / Spain:18 / Sweden:15 / Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) / Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) / UK:18 / USA:R / Singapore:R21

Plot Summary for
Cidade de Deus (2002)
Cidade de Deus (City of God) is a housing project built in the 1960's that--in the early 80's--became one of the most dangerous places in Rio de Janeiro. The tale tells the stories of many characters whose lives sometimes intersect. However, all is seen through the eyes of a singular narrator: Busca-Pé, a poor black youth too frail and scared to become an outlaw but also to smart to be content with underpaid, menial jobs. He grows up in a very violent environment. The odds are all against him. But Busca-Pé soon discovers that he can see reality differently than others. His redemption is that he's been given an artist's point of view as a keen-eyed photographer. As Busca-Pé is not the real protagonist of the film--only the narrator--he is not the one who makes the decisions that will determine the sequence of events. Nevertheless, not only his life is attached to what happens in the story, but it is also through Busca-Pé's perspective of life that one can understand the complicated layers and humanity of a world, apparently condemned to endless violence.