CITY OF GOD (Cidade de Deus) (2002) - ♦♦♦♦♦

Directed by - Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund

Written by - Bráulio Mantovani (based on a novel by Paulo Lins)

Starring - Alexandre Rodrigues, Matheus Nachtergaele, Leandro Firmino

"Set in the Ghettos of Rio, this is a compelling hard-hitting crime movie about a boy trying to stay away from crime life and choosing to hold a camera rather than a gun. Meirelles brings along with him a style of filmmaking that helps the pace and looks great with the gritty realism broken up by the hard edged cutting and saturated look of the images. In this sense, he was helped by filmmaker Katie Lund who had already shot in the Rio ghettos before. A great and original kind of crime drama, very entertaining and of great impact."

Drama, Brazil/France