"Fight, you will never survive. Run, you will never escape". In "City of God" the audience is numbed by the senseless violence and exposed to the growth of gang turf wars in Rio de Janeiro suburb of Cidade de Deus(City of God).

The living conditions in the City of God from the 60s to the 80s is brilliantly told by Paulo Lin in his novel to portray the harsh environment suburban Brazilian children must endure to move up the social ladder. In a scene, Ze Pequeno is ordered to execute another peer. The intricate web in the world of drugs, sex and violence is depicted through Benny's camera.

The message is clear. We are shown that children are like a fabric of silk. Fabrics take the color of the dye that are exposed; for these unfortunate children in Cidade de Deus, human nature corrupts friendship, love and rationality.