Part of Teenage Wasteland and Music City Mondays
Growing up in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, aspiring artist Rocket uses his passion for photography to observe and avoid a life of drugs and crime. Through Rocket — as well as gang leaders Lil Zé and Knockout Ned — the film tells the story of the rise of organized crime in the ‘70s,churns with energy and punctuated by a propulsive era soundtrack, and was a breakthrough hit in 2002 (leading to four Oscar nominations).
“I don't know how Fernando Meirelles made CITY OF GOD. It's so courageous, so truthful. I think it's the best picture I've ever seen.” —Robert Altman “Like a bomb exploding in a fireworks factory: It's fierce and shocking and dazzling and wonderful.” —Megan Lehmann, New York Post “You feel [Fernando Meirelles’] love of his subject, of his own infernally gifted filmmaking, of the freedom he suddenly feels in features (he'd directed commercials in San Paolo); you feel the quickening of energy and endless possibility in him. So the result is a contradiction: a joyous film about murder.” —Stephen Hunter, Washington Post (Jan 24, 2003)
