City of God – Buitenbios

This summer, Cinecitta is heading outdoors for the first time with Cinecitta Summer Vibes.

A warm summer evening, a good drink in your hand, and a beautiful film on the big screen under the stars. This summer, Cinecitta proudly presents its Open-Air Cinema! In this second edition, you can enjoy the dazzling film City of God.

A visually striking epic about life in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. City of God is the name of a favela built in the 1960s to house Rio’s poor and remove them from the rest of the city. The two main characters grow up there: the violent and cunning Zé chooses the path of street gangs and drug trafficking, while the somewhat timid Rocket tries to escape this life by becoming a photographer.

City of God was directed by Fernando Meirelles, and its raw performances—especially from non-professional actors from the favelas—and the dynamic cinematography by César Charlone vividly capture the chaos of favela life.

The story is based on true events described in the bestselling novel of the same name by Paulo Lins. The successful film received Academy Award nominations in 2004 for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing.