City of God Documentary Catches Up With the Film’s Stars

City of God was an overnight sensation following its debut in 2002. The Brazilian crime drama from Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund told the story of the evolution of organized crime over the course of two decades, and it grabbed many of its actors from the very favelas in which much of the story is told.

If you were wondering what happened to the film’s cast, there’s now a documentary to give you an answer. Cidade De Deus – 10 Anos Depois, or City of God – 10 Years Later, checks in with the cast of the film and attempts to determine what kind of impact it had on their lives.

For some, the film didn’t change much at all. Leandro Firma, who played antagonist Li’l Ze, still lives in the favela with a 21-month-old son. Firma, now 35, did not feel the impact of the film on his life as a whole. Alice Braga, on the other hand, who played Angélica, made the crossover into Hollywood, going on to star in films like I Am Legend, Redbelt and Elysium.

Every member of the cast has a unique story, and each is more interesting than the last. Their stories show a different side of the world that City of God depicted all those years ago. Cidade De Deus – 10 Anos Despois is streaming now on Netflix. Check out the promo for the film above, and discover what happened to the cast of the Oscar-nominated film.