City of God

City of God is a 2002 Brazilian film directed by Fernando Meirelles with Katia Lund as co-director, tracing the rise of organized crime in the Cidade de Deus favela on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, centered on the escalating conflict between a violent drug dealer and a former victim turned vigilante. The production cast many of its roles from real favela residents and young amateur actors rather than trained professionals, in the interest of authenticity. The film received four Academy Award nominations including Best Director, has been repeatedly ranked among the greatest films of the twenty first century by major publications, and its portrayal of favela violence is credited with influencing public debate and government policy on urban security in Brazil.