City of Men (Cidade dos Homens)

From the same sun drenched beaches and narrow concrete alleyways that spawned City of God and the spin-off TV series City Of Men comes, what director Paulo Morelli describes, as the concluding chapter in the Brazilian drama. Ace (Douglas Silva) and Wallace (Darlan Cuhna) have grown up in front of the cameras, and at the age of 18 they face the most stern test of their friendship.

Morelli, who worked on episodes of the series, builds up the atmosphere that was evident throughout City Of Men. While the film’s two main protagonists had managed previously to escape the grasp of Dead End Hill’s gang culture, they soon find themselves being dragged into it. Ace now has a young son to look after and feels trapped by his responsibilities, while Wallace has renewed his quest to find his father.

This voyage of self-discovery is played out against a backdrop of a favela war, with armies of drug runners clashing amongst the shacks, disrupting the peaceful lives of the slum’s citizens. In addition to this, the heroes must also contend with the realisation that their respective pasts are linked by a tragic event.

Kobi Annobil, London Film Festival Programme