IMDb > Cidade de Deus (2002)
Cidade de Deus
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Cidade de Deus (2002) More at IMDbPro »

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Cidade de Deus (2002) -- Two boys growing up in a violent neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro take different paths: one becomes a photographer, the other a drug dealer.
Cidade de Deus (2002) -- Two boys growing up in a violent neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro take different paths: one becomes a photographer, the other a drug dealer.
Cidade de Deus (2002) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)
Cidade de Deus (2002) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)
Cidade de Deus (2002) -- Moviesbox.us - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Directors:
Fernando Meirelles
Kátia Lund (co-director)
Writers:
Paulo Lins (novel)
Bráulio Mantovani (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for City of God on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
2002 (Russia) more
Genre:
Action | Crime | Drama more
Tagline:
If you run you're dead...if you stay, you're dead again. Period. more
Plot:
Two boys growing up in a violent neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro take different paths: one becomes a photographer, the other a drug dealer. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 49 wins & 25 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(26 articles)
A-z Movie Reviews – C’s
 (From HeyUGuys. 4 November 2009, 5:00 AM, PST)

What is the 21st Century?: Going Places with Yu Lik-wai
 (From The Auteurs. 27 October 2009, 6:02 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
"One of the best films you'll ever see!"--Roger Ebert, does it live up to the hype? more (583 total)

Cast

  (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
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
City of God (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
God's Town (International: English title)
La cité de Dieu (France)
Ciudad de Dios (Argentina) (International: Spanish title) (Spain) [es]
Cidade de Deus (Portugal) [pt]
Città di Dio (Italy) [it]
City of God (Finland) [fi]
City of God (Germany) (video title) [de]
City of God (Norway) [no]
Grad bogova (Serbia) [sr]
Guds by (Denmark) [da]
Guds stad (Sweden) [sv]
I poli tou Theou (Greece) [el]
Mesto bohov (Slovakia) [sk]
Mesto bohu (Czech Republic) [cs]
Miasto boga (Poland) [pl]
Shithî obu goddo (Japan) [ja]
Tanri kent (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
more
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
Language:
Portuguese
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Company:
O2 Filmes more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
After Shaggy, Clipper and Goose crash into the bar after they hold up the motel, Shaggy says that Goose messed up his ankle, but when Goose and Clipper go into the woods to hide, Clipper tells Goose that his ankle really hurts and Goose is fine. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Li'l Zé is makes Knockout Ned undress, Knockout Ned's shirt is already unbuttoned. But in the next shot we see him unbuttoning it. more
Quotes:
Zé Pequeno: Can you read?
Gang Member: I can read only the pictures.
more
Movie Connections:
References The Cameraman (1928) more
Soundtrack:
So Very Hard to Go more

FAQ

A Note Regarding Spoilers
Is this movie based on a novel?
Why the name "City of God"? It seems like just the opposite!
more
428 out of 477 people found the following comment useful.
"One of the best films you'll ever see!"--Roger Ebert, does it live up to the hype?, 28 November 2004
10/10
Author: blinkday4141 from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

The film revolves around the, 'City of God,' a favela (or ghetto) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a horrifying area where drug dealers run the community, and where children killing children is not an uncommon occurrence.

The story begins with the early stages of the City of God (in the 1960's) showing where many of the problems stem from- the extreme poverty, overcrowding etc. Here, in the early stages of the favela, we meet our main characters, along with the supporting cast. The story revolves mainly around two characters living in the favela, Rocket and Lil Ze, and how they take two different paths through life. Rocket's dream is to become a photographer and to escape the City of God while Lil Ze becomes a powerful gang leader and drug dealer.

The film offers an unflinching look at gang life in the City of God, as it follows the favela through three decades; the 60's, 70's and 80's, and shows how violence just spirals into more violence with the disturbingly high amounts of violence in the favela, most involving teenagers and children.

The direction, cinematography, and editing are all Oscar-worthy. The cinematography is some of the best I have ever seen- with a very visceral, jerky feel, very reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan. The editing is very frantic, which makes you feel like you are on the streets of the City of God, and the direction is flawless, seamlessly blending the many elements of the story.

The film was definitely one of the best films I have ever seen. The story, the direction, the cinematography, the editing and the acting all add up to make a excellent movie that I would recommend to all.

10/10, A+

Would also recommend: Bus 174 and Carandiru

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (583 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Cidade de Deus (2002)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
5 movies you hate but you wish you liked hafstadelic
Why City of God isn't great chris_topher1992
What's with the underage sex? JT_1
Chicano Cinema LLHedgehog
The real Li'l Ze agentajd
Knochout Ned's girlfriend? ChristianEdwards81
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