City of God (Cidade de Deus) by Fernando Meirelles (Brazil, 2002, 131 min.).Set in the ghettos of Rio de Janeiro beginning in the 1960s, the story is told from the perspective of Buscapé, a poor young fisherman’s son who dreams of becoming a photographer. He narrates the violence and corruption surrounding the city, and the rise and fall of one of Rio’s most notorious gang leaders. As war wages through the streets, Buscapé’s only escape is to expose the brutality through his photographs. “Mierelles has created one of the most startling, grittily brilliant films in recent years” (Desson Thompson, Washington Post).

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