I had the opportunity to visit Rio de Janeiro and one prevalent aspect which I noticed is the social, gender and race inequalities. Speaking to a receptionist at a hotel one morning, I commented about the beauty of her country, the sunny days, and the beautiful Copacabana Beaches. While she shared my sentiments, she also pointed to the outskirts of the city and she said, “This is paradise, but out there is hell”. She was pointing towards the “favelas” as they are known. A favela is, in essence, a slum or shantytown located just on the outskirts of a city, most popularly called a favela in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Often, the economies of favelas are constructed on the resale of stolen goods, and life is quite dangerous. I decided to make my assignment based on this personal anecdote, so I have chosen the Brazilian movie: City of God. This compelling film describes the divergent paths of “Lil-Z” and Rocket, the two characters who live in the slums of Rio de Janeiro. In the film, the favelas are described as dangerous, drug- run cities where crime is rampant, and homicides occur frequently. In a compelling fashion, the film describes typical life as a citizen in the Favelas. The reason that I enjoyed this film so greatly is a combination of its use of image and picture, but also its underlying message: that hope remains even when life is tough. The two main characters have had their brothers as members of the notorious “Tender Trio”, one of the first violent gangs in the city. All along, concepts of social, gender and race inequities are exposed, especially in the context of gang violence. In addition to that the movie shows children committing murder and other cruel acts, to fit in and gain trust within their gang. Eventually, chaos is subdued when the violent crime culminates in an extreme gang war- which journalists and news outlets begin to shed light on. And finally, the government takes control. Rocket, a member of a gang, gets a fresh start and begins his professional life as a reporter. Furthermore, the criminals involved in these crimes most often ended up in prison or dead, as the justice system prevailed. Some of the Social injustices that we have learned during the semester are introduced in this film- most specifically the injustice of power balance, and the social injustices women face, especially at the hands of violent men. The movie, based on a true film, shows the nature of such systemic injustices that exist throughout the world.