‘City of God’ finally has its say - spectacular opening ceremony sends message of hope to the world
Stirring Maracana show depicts Rio the way Brazilians see it - a city with a beautiful soul that is trying hard to overcome its flaws
Finally, Rio was able to tell its side of the story. A story entrusted, ironically, to someone famous for painting a desperate and harrowing picture of the city in which death and drugs intertwine and life has little value.
Asking such a man to revive Rio’s spirits is like asking Metallica to play the background music for Swan Lake. But if Fernando Meirelles’ gripping and frightening 2002 classic film City Of God depicted Rio as it was and, with certainty, as it still is, then perhaps the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games at the fabled Maracana Stadium was his vision for what Rio would eventually be.
The stinging attacks on Rio leading up to the Games were favela-esque. The world’s media pounced on every shooting, mugging and security issue, at times justifiably so because the concerns are real and a number of athletes, journalists and tourists have fallen victim to the city’s notorious criminals.