The Institutional Contexts of City of God and Pan's Labyrinth
City of God is an example of Brazilian national cinema BUT it is also an international film that secured worldwide distribution through Miramax, a major global distributor. As such the film is a good example of the comparative accessibility of World Cinema, a label that previously suggested only a limited distribution in arthouse cinemas of films made known through their success in film festivals.
City of God was financed by TV Globo, Brazil’s biggest TV channel, and O2 Filmes, Brazil’s biggest commercials company. The international distributor was Miramax, the company founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 1979. Their involvement with the film was a continuation of successes they had with international and socalled independent films. Beginning as promoters of rock and roll concerts their reputation as “art film brats” was founded on their involvement with some of the most interesting and challenging films of the 1980s and early 1990s.
From 1960 to 1964 the first phase of Cinema Novo “an idea in your head and a camera in your hand” established modern cinema in Brazil. It transformed its image outside the country by reason of its critical success. The Brazil that it symbolised of was one of exploitation, violence and deprivation.
Based on the successful novel written by Paulo Lins, an anthropologist who lived in the City of God – based on academic research he undertook about drug dealers in the favelas. It took eight years to write.
Fernando Meirelles, a director of TV commercials and founder of the O2 commercials company, bought the film rights. Coming from a middle class background in Sao Paulo he admits he was ignorant of life in the favelas and that Lin’s account surprised him as it revealed a side to Rio hidden to comfortably off Brazilians, cushioned from the reality of life in the city’s poor areas.
Meirelles is on record as stating that he wanted to make a film to bring attention to the poverty and deprivation of the slums. He made the film for Brazilian audiences, describing it as ‘just a small film’, and he had no idea that it would be an international hit.
The film was financed by TV Globo, Brazil’s largest TV channel, and O2 Filmes, Brazil’s largest commercials company. Shooting the film, with its cast of 150 and an estimated budget of £3.3 million, took ten months.
· The film was sold to 62 countries and has grossed over $25 million at the box-office. It has become one of the best-selling foreign language DVDs ever.
Meirelles was assisted in directing duties by Katia Lund, who helped with character development and supervised the crew. Meirelles had no experience of the favelas and needed someone who knew their way around the area and could negotiate with the people who lived there. Having lived in the slums (even though she was from a middle class background) during the making of the documenary News From a Private War (which we have seen) Lund was ideal. Lund was keen to bring the social deprivation of the slums to public attention, and her experience of working with amateur actors was invaluable on City of God, where over 200 boys from the favelas were chosen to appear in the film.
The films editor, Daniel Rezende, had previously worked with Meirelles on the post-production of commercials and has said “It was definitely not an easy film to edit. As none of the actors had actually read the script all the scenes evolved from the actor’s improvisations, and of course each one was unique.”
Miramax distributed the film, and their involvement is certainly largely responsible for the film’s global success. They have had a great deal of success championing both international and independent films.
Meirelles is on record as stating that he wanted to make a film to bring attention to the poverty and deprivation of the slums. He made the film for Brazilian audiences, describing it as ‘just a small film’, and he had no idea that it would be an international hit.
The film was financed by TV Globo, Brazil’s largest TV channel, and O2 Filmes, Brazil’s largest commercials company. Shooting the film, with its cast of 150 and an estimated budget of £3.3 million, took ten months.
· The film was sold to 62 countries and has grossed over $25 million at the box-office. It has become one of the best-selling foreign language DVDs ever.
Meirelles was assisted in directing duties by Katia Lund, who helped with character development and supervised the crew. Meirelles had no experience of the favelas and needed someone who knew their way around the area and could negotiate with the people who lived there. Having lived in the slums (even though she was from a middle class background) during the making of the documenary News From a Private War (which we have seen) Lund was ideal. Lund was keen to bring the social deprivation of the slums to public attention, and her experience of working with amateur actors was invaluable on City of God, where over 200 boys from the favelas were chosen to appear in the film.
The films editor, Daniel Rezende, had previously worked with Meirelles on the post-production of commercials and has said “It was definitely not an easy film to edit. As none of the actors had actually read the script all the scenes evolved from the actor’s improvisations, and of course each one was unique.”
Miramax distributed the film, and their involvement is certainly largely responsible for the film’s global success. They have had a great deal of success championing both international and independent films.
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