On the streets of Rio de Janeiro, the smell of gunpowder mingles with the laughter of children. The anger brewing on the walls of the favelas soon takes shape in the muscular arms of street gangs. Directed by Fernando Meirelles, this gritty drama focuses on two very different lives struggling to break free from the concrete and clouds of dust. On one side is an eye—a camera—trying to capture the truth; on the other, the gangster’s ambition clawing its way to the top of the neighborhood. In the midst of a bloody gang war, in this landscape squeezed by time and poverty, every street corner becomes the stage for a new struggle for survival.

Nominated for 4 Oscars. 76 wins & 50 nominations total