Directed by Fernando Meirelles (2002)

First impressions of the Film and its characters

Make notes on the following: did you like it and why, did you hate it – why?

Who are these characters and what did you think of them? What role do you think they play in the film? What could they represent? How do they inform us about the culture and life of the slums?

Film Narrative

Apply Todorov’s theory of equilibrium to the Film

Equilibrium –

Disruption to the Equilibrium –

Attempt to repair the equilibrium –

New Equilibrium –

Would it be possible to apply Propp’s theory of character types to this film?

Hero

Villain

Helper

Donor

False Hero

Princess

Questions on the context of City of God

1. What percentage of people in Brazil lives in absolute poverty?

2. Name some of the factors that lead to a misrepresentation of Brazil?

3. Why did Brazilian filmmakers limit themselves to making documentaries?

4. What 2 factors brought about the first Brazilian new wave?

5. How were Latin American auteurs seen?

6. In the second wave of cinema novo, what did filmmakers reject in favor of?

7. Where did the writer of the book on which the film was based grow up?

8. What issue did the directors want to bring to peoples attention?

What do we learn from the documentary, News From a Private War?

Narrative in City of God

The Three Stories

Below are the 3 stages that are presented to us in City of God. Try to summarise what happens within these stages:

The Story of the Tender Trio

The Story of Little Ze and drugs

The Story of Knockout Ned

City of God and Genre

It was stated on the front of the DVD box that this film was the Brazilian goodfellas, but why is this?

Below is a table that you should fill in to illustrate comparisons between City of God and other films that you feel are similar to it. Two categories have been chosen for you in order for you to look at specific films.

Film for Comparison Comparison Point

Gangster Film

Character Representations

Character What they represent Why is this?Rocket

Little Ze

Bene

Nockout Ned

Messages and Values

When the leftism government was overthrown in 1964. Glauber Rocha wrote of his determination to fight back using a camera, ‘the only weapon I could muster’. The verb to shoot is used to describe what is done with a gun and what is done with a camera.

What does the camera vs. the gun metaphor suggest to the audience

Close Study Analysis

Try to make notes on the following scenes

Opening Credits (50 seconds)

Playing Football (4:08)

Stealing Gas (5:46)

Considering a robbery (9:35)

What happens during the robbery of the hotel?

How are the different intentions of the Tender Trio and Lil Dice apparent?

Following is a clip after the motel robbery: what happens in it and what happens to the other characters in the film?

The Apartment (36:08)

Getting Promoted (43:56)

Being in Charge (56:20)How has the City of God changed when compared to the start of the film when the characters were younger?

Making Choices (1:01:06)

Knockout Ned’s Story (1:25:31)

Resolve to the conflict (1:54:03)

Power

From what you have learned during the course of studying this film, try to write as much as possible about the following points:

What is Power in this film?

Who has the Power?

What happens when you have no Power?

Can you gain Power if you have none?