City of God - two sequence analysis - themes

 Refer closely to two different sequences and analyse how key elements of film form contribute to the themes in City of God.

Moving to favelas: displacement, isolation, the "left-behind"
Closing seq.: abuse of justice, corruption, cyclical nature

Through the sequences of "moving to the favelas" and the "closing sequence" in City of God, Merielles uses a cinematic framework of cinema novo and social realism, to root the film's aesthetics and form to themes relevant to Brazilian social issues. In doing this, he fits City of God into the tradition of Brazilian cinema whilst also bringing to the fore a sense of identity and representation to the overlooked groups of people in Brazil, giving the themes a sense of contemporary relevance, and allowing the victims of and contributors to said themes to make their voice hear cinematically. Within the "moving to favelas" sequences, these themes include displacement and the 'left-behind', using film form to heighten the isolation and alienation of the favelas residents through their loss of homes. Whereas the closing sequence focuses more on the corruption and abuses of justice directed at the residents of the favelas, and the literal and symbolic cyclical nature of these injustices within the framework of the film.

The "moving to favelas" sequence acts as a transitionary scene for the film, taking the characters out of the ordinary order of their lives and putting them in a world fit for exacerbating their desperation and, thus, the violent crimes they partake in or witness. It does this through the use of voiceover, providing a clear explanation to the uncontrollable real-world event that forced them out of their homes, focusing on the lack of provisions for the people to help them move to their new lives. The voiceover coincides with contrapuntal upbeat Brazilian music, reflecting the resilience of these people to keep going after all they face, suggesting the persistent hardships in their life. This basis makes the film all the more striking as it progresses, because its foundations are already cruel, so City of God's progression into a gang war heightens the significance of the alienation of these people, as the move to the favelas serves to make their lives even harder, and their neglect even more damning. Through the camerawork, a sense of a final goodbye and a reluctance to leave is very present, as the slow hand-held camera drifting through the people makes for a morose and somber funeral-like tone, representing the death of a community. This links to the theme of displacement, and being tied to your home, which makes the favelas criminal influences make more sense, as their environment permeates into the impressionable youth. As well as this, Merielles uses a wide variety of different shots to emphasise the idea of taking everything in before it's gone for ever, with POV shots putting the spectator into the harsh reality of the characters, and bird's-eye shots also allowing the spectator to see this world from an outsider perspective, so the film is both introspective and retrospective in how it deals with events of the past, and the themes within it.

City of God is consistent in its application of thematically-based film form throughout the film, as different time periods have completely different identities. In the "closing sequence" the film employs a cyclical structure, revisiting the opening scene and tying up the story with the spectator's knowledge of how it got to this place. One example of where the opening sequence is recontextualised by the rest of the film is the opening gunshot, initially just a sound effect, which is revealed to be shot by one of "the Runts" - a member of a child gang. This perfectly captures the sentiment of the youth persisting in the criminal  traditions of those that came before them, and, in their killing of Lil Ze, demonstrate their reciprocation of his ruthlessness, and continuation of the City of God's reign of terror. Furthermore, the tone is much more contemplative in its slow pacing and longer shots, than in the the fast-paced chaos of the opening sequence. Whilst the killings and chases are still quick and violent action sequences, the overall pacing of the scene provides a clear ending for this chapter in the story, even if the violence continues after the film ends. In that, Merielles adopts a lack of closure for the story, using the themes of a miscarriage of justice in the focus on the police just sitting there letting the gangs kill each other off, villainising them instead of supporting them, despite their youth. In fact, the last major event of the film is Rocket's capture of the police being bribed by Lil Ze, spotlighting the complete absence of any justice or consequence for any of the violence and brutality in the film, reminding the spectator that it was all for nothing, further re-enforced by the subsequent murder of Lil Ze by the Runts, where even his bribes got him nowhere.

Overall, Merielles' consistent reflections of the film's social-realist themes of displacement and corruption in the film features - cinematography, pacing, tone, and sound - allows him to construct a well-rounded and meaningful narrative on the victims of criminal gangs and violence, both those murdered, and those perpetrating the murders, who were never giving any opportunity to do anything else. It's a nuanced balance of themes, context, and cinematic qualities, which, especially in the two scenes focused on, drives home the horrors of this world and the power of film to portray and bring meaning to them.