May 2003 We In Cinema : City of God Benefit

(May: Main Page * Features * Reviews * Screenings * Teen ) Current Issue * Archive

by Niija Kuykendall Photos by Capulet Poehner We In Cinema: City of God Benefit “Some works of art have the power to change our lives and Paulo Lin’s book is one of them,” says “City of God” Director Fernando Meirelles in one of his numerous magazine interviews. This power of the visual is an amazing tool that is accessible to only a fortunate few. Since its inception the instrument of mass media has cultivated the amazing power to represent life and influence culture, ideologies and society. Film is art, entertainment, criticism, dialogue, pedagogic and viscerally emotive all at once. It is not only a tool of representation and reflection but also of transformation. With the creation of We In Cinema, a non profit cinema school for the children of the favellas (Brazilian ghettos) that are the powerful subjects of “City of God”, Directors Katia Lund and Fernando Meirelles place the tool of film and power of the media in the hands of students ready to take on issues of invisibility and represent themselves to themselves and others. The seeds of the school were planted as the casting process for “City of God” commenced. By the end of production We In Cinema had been designated as a haven of development, creativity and passion for 200+ kids from various gang-controlled, rivaling favellas. About 50 of these kids were actually cast in the film and on set everyday. By the wrap of production, these kids, who had tasted a bit of the vast creative capacity of media, made the decision that they did not want to stop learning and making films. They had discovered, as Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund had at some point of their lives, that works of art do have the power to change life and they rightly wanted access to that power for themselves. On Monday, April 28, Katia Lund, Paulo Lins, Seu Jorge (musician and actor who played “Knockout Ned” in the film) and Mark Levinson, CEO of Red Rose Music, hosted a benefit in support of the We In Cinema school. An intimate group of artists, film buffs, philanthropists and friends came together at the Red Rose Music studio to listen to Katia Lund and Paulo Lin talk about the making of City of God and formation of We In Cinema, then enjoy the magical musical performance of Seu Jorge. Lund also surprised guests with a special screening of her short “Golden Gate”, a brilliant short precursor to “City of God” that was shot during the initial casting and schooling sessions. This event was one of the first efforts of the We In Cinema crew in outside fundraising as, so far, the school has been self-sustained by the efforts of the students themselves. These students have created a system of funding for the school by taking “City of God” to various well-off schools throughout the Rio de Janeiro area and charging for entrance and participation in a debate regarding the social issues addressed in the film. Lund is also in the process of creating a support network of production houses in and around Rio that create opportunity for the students by offering internship opportunities and sometimes jobs. The fundraising effort was one filled with awe at the students’ dedication and passion for an artform that can be, at its best, challenging and difficult to pursue. Awe-inspiring also is the depth of understanding these students’ already have for, as cultural critic bell hooks asserts, “…cinema’s capacity to create new awareness, to transform culture right before our very eyes.” For a review of the film, go to http://blackfilm.com/20030131/reviews/cityofgod.shtml