Historical context: The film is set between the end of the 1960’s and the beginning of the 1980’s. The film is based off a true story by Paulo Lins and accurately presents the growth of organized crime in the Cidade De Deus suburb of Rio de Janerio with gangs leaders such as Lil Ze taking control. This resulted in it becoming a lawless land and the City of God having some of the highest murder and crime rates.

Political Context: The film showcases the problem of the fight against inequalities and social exclusion in impoverished communities. During the time the film was set, the government had little control over areas in Rio de Janerio and the gang violence and crime that was ongoing. The police were also corrupt and would be payed off by criminals to not interfere. An example of this in the film is when the police try to extort money from Lil Ze for his freedom.

Institutional Context: During its release in 2002, the movie became a wide success. It was seen by 2 million Brazilians in its first two months. It received overwhelming press coverage and triggered heated debates among critics and intellectuals.