City Of God

Question 1

Story Of The Apartment - Cinematography

Answer 1

• The fixed camera shows how the apartment will always stay as a drug den
• The fixed camera better allows the passing of time to be understood
• Fixed camera represents how the city’s problems of violence never changes
• Handheld camera when Lil Ze takes over shows the instability of the favellas under his rule

Question 2

The Story Of The Apartment - Editing

Answer 2

• Fade editing techniques show the passing of time, this creates a ghostly effect that suggests the owners of the apartment are doomed.
• Montage of different ill fated owners shows the danger of the apartment

Question 3

The Story Of The Apartment - Mise En Scene

Answer 3

• Colours gradually get colder
• Low-key lighting during the death of Aristotle
• Warm lighting when police enter shows the false sense of law and order
• Guns and drugs being handled casually shows how normalised violence is

Question 4

The Story Of The Apartment - Sound

Answer 4

• Rockets voiceover shows how he is our guide in the favellas
• Non diagetic mood music underscores important moments

Question 5

Opening Scene - Mise En Scene

Answer 5

• The scene opens with high contrast lighting
• Chickens are shown running around the favellas and being killed, to sell. This highlights the poverty and lack of hygiene
• Lil Ze stands out as dominant with his costume and appearance

Question 6

Opening Scene - Sound

Answer 6

• Lots of diagetic sound, traffic, knives scrapping before killing the chicken, this sets up the violent and chaotic nature of the City

Question 7

Opening Scene - Cinematography

Answer 7

• Extreme close ups of the knives portray the themes of power and violence
• The use of a dutch tilt creates a sense of disorientation in the viewer

Question 8

Opening Scene - Editing

Answer 8

• Cross cutting is showed to show a lack of control in the favellas
• Absence of CGI increases the raw feeling and increases versimilitude

Question 9

Bene’s Farewell Scene - Mise En Scene

Answer 9

• Bene is dressed in bright clothing to show he is friendly, Lil Ze is dark to show his evil personality
• ## Green light symbolises how Lil Ze is jealous of Bene having, happiness, love and friendship

Question 10

Bene’s Farewell Scene - Cinematography

Answer 10

• Blurry midshots/close-ups of Lil Ze show how disorientated personality
• Extreme close ups of Lil Ze show his isolation and loneliness

Question 11

Bene’s Farewell Scene - Representation Of Woman

Answer 11

• Woman are only used as love interests, Bernice + Shaggy, Ned and his unnamed girlfriend, Bene/Tiago/Rocket + Angelica
• Woman are victims of the violence, Shorty’s wife is killed, Bernice is alone and has to find a new man, Angelica is not seen again in the film, Ned’s girlfriend is raped.

Question 12

Tagline of the film

Answer 12

If you run the beast catches you, if you stay the beast eats you