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With anger and a lot of energy City Of God dives into the world of the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. The world of children gangs. Fernando Meirelles' gangster epic has been compared to Scorsese's "Goodfellas" - every customer who borrows the DVD from us quotes the comparison (well, let's say almost everyone). And everyone is right! City Of God deserves this honor! Scorsese's epic begins with the first-person narrator introducing us and explaining that even as a child he wanted to become a gangster. The children in City Of God on the other hand - it seems - never had a choice. Why is there a world of favelas at all? To isolate the poor from the rest of the city. But then the favelas grew into areas full of life, color, music. And full of dangers. At least that's what I think from the distance of Berlin Kreuzberg. City Of God opens furios. A gang holds a picnic. Then a chicken escapes them. Among those who want to catch the chicken is the first-person narrator, Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues). And Rocket is already in the line of fire between two gangs! The camera whirls and we see Rocket playing football. In former times, in the suburbs. It has to be, says Rocket, because to understand his story, we have to start all over again. Looking back. Rocket and his friends form their first gang. To commit crimes, some would claim - to survive others. Through these first virtuoso scenes we know; here comes an inventive film! Meirelles loves racing cuts and the use of a handheld camera. That was all new and exciting back then. This also fits to City Of God, because that's how we think we are everywhere at the same time. And everywhere danger can threaten! Gangs always have money and weapons. They commit robberies and deal with cheap drugs. Nevertheless, they are not rich, because in their milieu there is hardly any money. All structures of Rockets Viertel, including family structures, are ultimately subject to the omnipresent poverty. He tells. Only the gangs can give you a certain status, even recognition. But the mortality rate is high and the leaders of the gangs are always young. Life has no value. And then it is taken from you. Once we experience how a victorious leader is killed. Completely senseless. It is clear that he was killed by the STRUCTURE of the crime. It could have been anyone else. Fortunately, City Of God is not only dark, but also very poetic! For example, when Rocket photographs his streets with a (stolen) camera. He asks a photographer to develop his pictures - and is shocked to see how his pictures of an armed robbery end up in the newspaper. Is this really his death sentence? No, he didn't. The gangs are thrilled, feel like little stars! Now they pose for him with guns and girls. In any case there are two cities in City Of God. One for those who work and the other for the stranded. Normally the poorest don't like to tell their stories. But City Of God dares a try. Not that something should be stylized artificially into a myth. The film simply tells what it knows.