It’s easy to compare “City of God” to “GoodFellas” — they both have a frenetic filmmaking style, they both revolve around youth growing up in a world of violence, and they both take that violence to awful places. Plus, they’re both brilliant films. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — this week on The Next Reel as we finish our Foreign Language series with a true highlight — Fernando Mereilles’ and Katia Lund’s 2002 film “City of God.” We talk about the story and how it introduces us to this world of the favelas of Rio that not only gives us a sense of the time and place in the film incredibly effectively, but also connects us to characters that fit in this world and take us on a journey over several decades here, yet in a way that still feels intimate. We discuss the energetic and wild cinematography and directing style of the film and why it works so well. We chat about how the film was received around the world and why so many people have connected with it. And we talk about other projects Mereilles has done and how they differ or are similar to his style we see here. It’s a great conversation about a great film. Tune in!
