Films such as the “City of God” (2002) provides a glimpse of geography playing a fundamental role in the development of any place. Deteriorating housing and deprivation of sanitation services, water, and electricity characterizes cities in developing nations. Also, crime is pervasive in such places. The film is essential in raising awareness of the real issues within the Rio de Janeiro, which counters the popular cultural discourse of Brazil as a place of carnival, soccer, and beaches. The City of God is a manifestation of the socioeconomic impact of geography in cities of developing countries.
According to the CIA World FactBook, Brazil is home to approximately 204 million people. The country is nearly urbanized, 85.7% of the population is …show more content…
The filmmaker reveals an overwhelming impression of the realities occurring in favelas in Brazil. The view of the city and urban life portrayed is authentic because it was filmed in the favelas and not a movie studio. The development of the City of God through a historical and personal narrative enhanced the approach of the film. The city plays a character, where we see it transform from small uniform apartments to high-rise buildings through the eyes of a character. The urban landscapes change throughout time as evident by the camera’s lighting, where it goes from gold and orange lighting to more dark/gray cinema. Life in the city has a significant role in the characters in the film, for it is what helps shape the individuals. As a viewer, the emotions from the film are that of astonishment by the grim realities happening in the streets of Brazil. The film fits within the urban themes of the course up to this point, as it addresses and touches on topics such as cities being the products of economic, social, and political change but also the shapers of these changes. It highlights the territoriality theme, where it is the tendency for particular groups within society to attempt to establish some form of control within a localized area. In addition, the favelas are seen as cities as adaptations to natural circumstances, where their location on the hillsides highlights their spontaneous construction on the only available land. Also, race/racism as a dynamic force in place-making is evident as exemplified by the initial development of favelas and the early history of Rio de Janeiro’s
According to the CIA World FactBook, Brazil is home to approximately 204 million people. The country is nearly urbanized, 85.7% of the population is …show more content…
The filmmaker reveals an overwhelming impression of the realities occurring in favelas in Brazil. The view of the city and urban life portrayed is authentic because it was filmed in the favelas and not a movie studio. The development of the City of God through a historical and personal narrative enhanced the approach of the film. The city plays a character, where we see it transform from small uniform apartments to high-rise buildings through the eyes of a character. The urban landscapes change throughout time as evident by the camera’s lighting, where it goes from gold and orange lighting to more dark/gray cinema. Life in the city has a significant role in the characters in the film, for it is what helps shape the individuals. As a viewer, the emotions from the film are that of astonishment by the grim realities happening in the streets of Brazil. The film fits within the urban themes of the course up to this point, as it addresses and touches on topics such as cities being the products of economic, social, and political change but also the shapers of these changes. It highlights the territoriality theme, where it is the tendency for particular groups within society to attempt to establish some form of control within a localized area. In addition, the favelas are seen as cities as adaptations to natural circumstances, where their location on the hillsides highlights their spontaneous construction on the only available land. Also, race/racism as a dynamic force in place-making is evident as exemplified by the initial development of favelas and the early history of Rio de Janeiro’s