Cidade dos Homens (2007)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Paulo Morelli

Writers:

Elena Soarez (screenplay) and
Paulo Morelli (story)
(more)

Release Date:

31 August 2007 (Brazil)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

An unforgettable tale of friendship and survival in a city where the greatest challenge is growing up.

Plot:

Best buddies Acerola and Laranjinha, about to turn 18, discover things about their missing fathers' pasts which will shatter their solid friendship, in the middle of a war between rival drug gangs from Rio's favelas.

Plot Keywords:

Gang | Parole | Friendship | Missing Father | Favela

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Douglas Silva	...	Acerola
Darlan Cunha	...	Laranjinha
Jonathan Haagensen	...	Madrugadão
Rodrigo dos Santos	...	Heraldo
Camila Monteiro	...	Cris
Naima Silva	...	Camila
Eduardo 'BR' Piranha	...	Nefasto (as Eduardo BR)
Luciano Vidigal	...	Fiel
Pedro Henrique	...	Caju
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Aldene Abreu	...	Soldado 1 Bete
Gabriel Aguila	...	Soldado do Madrugadao 2
Edy Argolo	...	Soldado do Madrugadao 7
Jonathan Azevedo	...	Soldado de Madrugadao 1
Andrea Bacellar	...	Patroa Cris
Marcello Barcellos	...	Policial 2
Alex Bastillo	...	Soldado do Careca 1
Bel	...	Soldado do Careca 1
Biro	...	Soldado Nefasto 4
Arthur Bispo Coutinho	...	Vapor Madrugadao 2
Black	...	Soldado Nefasto 1
Alex Borges	...	Garçon 3
Isaac Borges	...	Soldado 2 Doldinho
Barbara Borgga	...	Funciodila Presidio
Flavio Borja	...	1 Juarez
Alexandro Brito	...	Moleque da farmacia
Bronca	...	Guarda do patronato
Erik Burdon	...	Garçon 2
Wilton Campos	...	Soldado Nefasto 8
Michelle Cardoso	...	Valéria
André Carvalho	...	Soldado do Madrugadao 6
Cláudio Cinti	...	Golano Acongueiro
Márcio Costa	...	Soldado 3 Polito
Luca De Castro	...	Sindico do condominio
Dimas	...	Soldado do Morro do Careca 1
José Mario Farias	...	Helinho
Victor Fernando	...	Soldado Nefasto 2
Jonathan Gomes	...	Vapor Madrugadao 4
Michel Gomes	...	Fininho
Maurício Gonçalves	...	Cris's father
Mário Hermeto	...	Garçon 4
Eber Inacio	...	Zézé
Claudio Jaborandy	...	Complice de Heraldo
Fábio Lago	...	Ceara
Sônia Lino	...	Esmeralda
Vendedora Loja	...	Carolina Bezerra
Robson Luiz	...	Garoto novo
Shawn McGill	...	Wallace (voice)
Vinicius Messias	...	Garçon 1
Nandao	...	Soldado do Careca 1
Negao	...	Soldado do Careca 1
Brenno Neves	...	Madrugadao crianca
Vinícius Oliveira	...	Clayton
Vítor Oliveira	...	Clayton
Allan Pacheco	...	Soldado Nefasto 5
Pagodinho	...	Soldado Nefasto 7
Joao Paulo	...	Soldado do Careca 1
Alran Pinheiro	...	Funciodilo Cartolo
Avandro Ricardo	...	Soldado do Madrugadao 3
Robson Rocha	...	Soldado 4 Bulu
Kamilla Rodrigues	...	Tina
Babu Santana	...	Drug lord from Morro do Careca
André Santos	...	Soldado Nefasto 9
Rafaela Santos	...	Bela da Madrugadao
Robson Santos	...	Morro do Careca
Luisao Seixas	...	Pedrelia
Bino Silva	...	Soldado do Madrugadao 4
Tiago Souza	...	Soldado Nefasto 6
Thogun	...	Pal de ace ola
Luiz Tomaz	...	Soldado Nefasto 3
Everton Tonzao	...	Soldado do Careca 1
Charles Torres	...	Pregador
Arthur Viana	...	Soldado do Madrugadao 5
Delgresson Vieira	...	Vapor Madrugadao 3
Jersiano Vieira	...	Soldado do Morro do Careca
Luis Whellington	...	Vapor Madrugadao 1
Bebe Zao	...	Soldado do Careca 1
Zol	...	Soldado do Careca 1

Directed by
Paulo Morelli

Writing credits
Elena Soarez		(screenplay)
Paulo Morelli		story
Elena Soarez		story

Produced by
Guel Arraes	....	associate producer
Andrea Barata Ribeiro	....	producer
Bel Berlinck	....	producer
Fernando Meirelles	....	producer
Paulo Morelli	....	producer

Original Music by
Antonio Pinto

Cinematography by
Adriano Goldman

Film Editing by
Daniel Rezende

Production Design by
Rafael Ronconi

Art Direction by
Rafael Ronconi

Costume Design by
Inês Salgado

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Leonardo Carvalho	....	third assistant director
Isabella Teixeira	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Luis Bourscheidt	....	foley assistant
João Caserta	....	assistant dialogue editor
Roger Hands	....	foley artist
Juliana Lago	....	assistant sound editor
Alessandro Laroca	....	supervising sound editor
Eduardo Virmond Lima	....	sound effects editor
Fernando Lobo	....	foley mixer
Antonio Mac-Dowell	....	foley editor
Paulo Ricardo Nunes	....	sound recordist
Deborá Opolski	....	dialogue editor
Lucas Cesario Pereira	....	assistant dialogue editor
Paulo Henrique Servello	....	digital mastering
Armando Torres Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer

Visual Effects by
Luis Ignacio Barrague	....	conforming editor
Rogério Marinho	....	visual effects
Aruan Santos	....	digital visual effects compositor
Robson Sartori	....	visual effects coordinator
Karina Vanes	....	post production coordinator
Andre Waller	....	digital compositor
Andre Waller	....	visual effects supervisor
Ariel Wollinger	....	film recording supervisor
Mariana Zdravca	....	post-production coordinator

Editorial Department
Sean Cooney	....	post-production executive
Fábio Fatorelli	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Fil Pinheiro	....	music programmer

Other crew
Paulão Costa	....	set manager

Thanks
Paulo De Tarso Akamine	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Fox Filmes do Brasil
• Globo Filmes (co-production)
• O2 Filmes
• Petrobrás

Distributors

• Asmik Ace Entertainment (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Benelux Film Distribution (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Miramax Films (2008) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Lakeshore Records  score album
• Yazbek e Portaro Advogados  clearance services
• Yazbek e Portaro Advogados  legal services

Also Known As:

City of Men (International: English title)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

Brazil

Language:

Portuguese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Brazil:16 | USA:R | Ireland:15A | UK:15 | Japan:PG-12 | Singapore:M18 | Australia:MA | Netherlands:12 | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Australia:M (TV rating)

Company:

Fox Filmes do Brasil

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Camila is showing Wallace her hair and telling him where Ace is, a leg of the tripod holding the close up camera is visible on the right side in the wide shot of them.

Movie Connections:

Features "Cidade dos Homens: Uólace e João Victor (#1.4)" (2002)

City of Men

I expected this to be a sequel to City of God, but evidently it is a conclusion of sorts to the Brazilian TV series that was created as a result of the first film. Certinly the style of film-making is different to City of God, but its subject matter, setting and gritty style are all pretty much the same.

Douglas Silva and Darlan Cunha play friends on the cusp of manhood who, as they approach their eighteenth birthdays, dwell upon the meaning and importance of fatherhood. Laranjinha (Cunha) misses the father he has never known who was imprisoned for murder before his son was born, while Ace (Silva) is struggling to come to terms with fatherhood. Ace decides to help Laranjinha track down his father (now released from prison) but it is a decision that will threaten to destroy their friendship.

The main plot takes place amidst a feudal gang war which, in all honesty, is far more compelling than the domestic problems of the two young protagonists and the film's most compelling performance comes from Jonathan Haagensen as gang leader Midnight. Set amongst the narrow, maze-like alleyways of the Rio slums, it is this gangland storyline that feels both more authentic and appropriate than the problems of the boys, the resolution of which feels too rushed in the film's final reel.

The quality of the film-making is beyond dispute, however. Given that this is the final act of a TV series that ran for many years it is to the writers' credit that the viewer isn't confused by the events described or by the references to an unfamiliar past.