City of God (2002): One of Best Films of 21St Century, Oscar Nominee Fernando Mereilles, Falling from Grace after Splashy Debut

Starting in Cannes Film Fest, where it world premiered in 2002, City of God is an extremely powerful, ultra-violent Brazilian gang-war epic that took the cinematic world by shock.

Spanning two decades, from the 1960s to the 1980s, the tale follows the rise of a murderous criminal empire in the mean streets of Cidade de Deus, the notoriously violent favela in Rio de Janeiro.

Portuguese Brazilian Fernando Meirelles, then 37, and co-director Katia Lund managed to recruit a cast of hundreds, most of whom first-time actors, from the Brazilian slums and shantytowns, who knew first-hand the desperate poverty, corruption, and bloodshed, which lent the film unparalleled (and scary) autenticity.

Leandro Firmino stars as the ruthless drug lord Little Dice, while samba singer Seu Jorge plays his nemesis Knockout Ned. Jorge later appeared in Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, singing some David Bowie songs in Portuguese.

City of God is visually stunning, utilizing a style that relies on handheld cameras, fast edits, and digital time-warp, all elements influenced by Meirelles’ previous background in advertising.

Though devastatingly bleak, the film went on to become a Brazilian box-office blockbuster and an international sensation.

It also scored major Oscar nomination, such as Best Director, though,  predictably the winner was Peter Jackson for the epic The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.