In the 2002 film, bildungsroman based crime drama, City of God, Fernando Meirelles (cinematographer: Cesar Charlone, editor: Daniel Rezende) depicts the hardships of life for young people living in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Based on a true story, the film revolves around two boys who go on to follow different paths in life, one becoming an infamous drug dealer and the other a photographer for a local newspaper. A key scene within the plot is “the story of Lil Ze” (during 00.38.53.01 – 00.43.53.01) which develops the character of Lil Ze while also portraying his deep inner thoughts and feelings about the way he sees the world around him such that he is attempting to become the most renowned drug dealer in the “city of God”. This text will focus on cinematography, editing as well as sound and how they manage to portray Lil Ze’s own personal sense of ideology, while also touching on the potential impact of the social and economic context.