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: Buscapé, a poor black youth too frail and scared to become an outlaw but also too smart to be content with underpaid, menial jobs. He grows up in a very violent environment. The odds are all against him. But Buscapé 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 Buscapé 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 Buscapé's perspective of life that one can understand the complicated layers and humanity of a world, apparently condemned to endless violence.


BAFTA Film Awards
* Won: Best Editing (Daniel Rezende)

Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
* Won: Best Foreign Language Film

Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards
* Won: Best Foreign Language Film

New York Film Critics Circle Awards
* Won: Best Foreign Language Film

Satellite Awards
* Won: Best Foreign Language Film

Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards
* Won: Best Foreign Language Film

Toronto Film Critics Association Awards
* Won: Best Foreign Language Film

Toronto International Film Festival
* Won: Visions Award - Special Citation




Subtitles are NOT hardcoded.
Subtitles are included, as an srt file, but not hardcoded.
Everything you need to play this movie with English Subtitles is in the RAR File.