Brazilian Cinema "City of God"

THE BELA ÉPOCA

The start of cinema could not have been better timed, because the entire republic of Brazil was thrown into a massive progression of industrializing, urbanization, and a diverging cultural experience spread through immigration. At the top of all the progress lay the very first Brazilian film artists who created the pioneering era of "Bela Epoca" (where brilliancy films dominated the market and where fictional films were becoming a staple through the use of different genres being exploited. (historical drama, melodrama, comedy, satirical plots, and etc.) However, the small staggering economy found fault with the lack of technology and competition from competing industries. The Brazilian film industry suffered because they were emulating European/American Films and had no technology or technical expertise in the art. Furthermore, the film industry's infrastructure was dependent on the upper class who had the time and finances to enjoy the movies. Ultimately it would be the Hollywood scene that would break international barriers and influence Brazilian cinema. 

CHANCHADAS: A FILM INDUSTRYFOR A NATIONAL CINEMA

Sound was a godsend for progression in Latin American filming industries. Right after the Great Depression, Hollywood was used a weapon for propaganda and this was quickly mimicked by Getulo Vargas Estado Novo. He implemented authoritarian ideals and declared that the cinema industry was to be funded by the state in order to support nationality and cultural symbols. Soon a unique Brazillian genre came out called the "chanchada" which entailed musical comedies but rooted in the Brazillian theater (carnivals, dances, fiestas). It can be said WWII played an effective role in slowing down the film industry and therefore the new film company called "atlantida" emphasized Realism in their movies. The culture from then became more rich and diverse that soon gave rise to the idea of a Brazilian Hollywood... which ultimately was a failure because of such high and costly ambitions.

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The article Mr. Bigue posted was really helpful when it came to a more exploitative and informing analysis of the film City of God and the significant themes and ideas expressed. The article was quite a lengthy read but it wasn't unbearable because it broke down parts of the story and discussed cinematography, characterization  editing techniques, and most importantly conveyed important reflections of society and culture. The target audience for this film are those in their young adulthood, what can be said about this generation is that they are unaware of other traditions and belief outside their own culture. An important proponent to consider is how realism is used to express the savagery and epitome of life in the favelas. Favelas are in other words referred to as slums or hovels, in which most cases people stoop to low levels and resort to crime, drugs, and violence as a way to survive. Realism in the City of God is not meant to highlight solely the injustices of the favelas but critique the policies of governments outside the slums and bring out harsh truths in reality.

One of which is the role of machismo in the story and an important cultural tradition in most Latin American countries (especially Brazil, the place where the movie takes place). Machismo is the term used for tough rugged men who are manly and dominant, unfortunately this is often interpreted as males with a history of strength and power who at most times use their power to dominate and control women. The concept of being "macho" is significant throughout the three arcs in the story. It gives rise to this idea of an endless cycle of hatred which is reborn in each and every generation in the City of God. This is seen through the characterization of Lil Ze and Rocket. Lil Ze is a symbol for hopelessness and despair in such ares of the slums. He found himself drowned in power and he sold his soul to become an evil and powerful crimelord. What he did not account for was how ironic it would be that growing up murdering people would be his way of death. Just as the young generation murder him, and continue the ongoing cycle of hatred and violence. Shining light on the bad situations many people live in, but to where there is despair hope can be found in the character of Rocket.

Rocket is the key inspiration for people living in the slums, and how he rises from working in a supermarket to becoming a journalist in a large city. His passion, and his desire to succeed and make a name for himself out of crime is admirable. However, he is actually very far from a hero. Unlike most heroes that find some form of acceptance or gratitude for doing good deeds, Rocket knows the risks of being caught. He knows that being a good person does not get it's rewards, and in the city of god it's all about having connections and not being caught in gangs. This sheds light on the hopes of escape that realistically many people living in the slums do. Some see escape through sports as shown in the begnning of the film, through wealth which is apparent through the robberies and violence, through different cultures like how Benny was influenced by Western society and wanted to escape his thug life, and in Rocket's case how he finds escape through opportunity in his hobby of photography.