City of God

“If you run, the beast catches you; if you stay, the beast eats you.”

Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues) wants out of the City of God, a sprawling Rio favela where he dreams of becoming a photographer. Around him, Dadinho (Douglas Silva) transforms into Li'l Zé (Leandro Firmino), a drug kingpin who consolidates power through violence and fear, dragging the neighborhood into his war. Meirelles cuts between timelines and splits the frame into panels, turning the rise of the gangs into a visual symphony of chaos.