City of God: 10 Years Later

In 2002, Brazilian filmmaker Fernando Meirelles' City of God (VL-5/04) received a triumphant screening at Cannes, won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and garnered four Academy Award nominations. To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the film's original release, directors Cavi Borges and Luciano Vidigal tracked down members of the cast, who here talk about their participation in the production and the impact it had on their lives. The most familiar face to North American viewers here is probably Alice Braga, whose supporting role as a drug dealer's girlfriend helped her gain access to Hollywood roles in films such as I Am Legend and Repo Men. Also present is Seu Jorge, who played a killer in City of God and later appeared as Pelé dos Santos in Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Some cast members attained local stardom in acting or music, while others drifted away from show business into less glamorous work. Meirelles himself abstained from participating in this well-made tribute that—to be fully appreciated—requires viewers to have seen City of God and also be somewhat familiar with the intricacies of Brazil's racial and economic problems. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)